Innocence and Instinct
by SnowbellaAndFriends
Summary: The deadliest enemies hide behind dark cloaks and are overlooked by everyone. However, when these cloaks are shed, a monster that has been growing for years in secrecy is born whose only instinct is to destroy. Sadly, the innocent always suffer first.
1. Monsters of the Night

**A/N:** Okay, first off, I'm sorry that this happened. It was a careless mistake that I take full responsibly for. However, looking on the bright side of things, this gives me the chance to redo the prologue and first chapters completely and possibly lengthen the story, change the name, and explain anything else I want! Thankfully, I didn't need to raise the rating, so it'll still be rated T, although there will be some more description in the chapters.

But before we continue onward, I'd like to thank _**Z-Raviel**_, _**Neptune's Heart**_, _**Kennorz**_, _**D.J. Scales**_, _**dragonwingsatcrossroads**_, _**sonicissocool112**_, _**Futuredream3000**_, _**Debbie Aaron Primal**_, _**Yin and Yang opposite**_, and _**Nobility**_ for their reviews and help in the story. Now, to get on with the disclaimer, the new warning, and so forth so we can get this party started once more.

**Disclaimer and Warning:** This story is purely fan-made; I do not own any characters in this story except for The Dark Gentleman, Detective Justina, Officer Andrew Jayden, Ms. Laila Scarlett, Dr. Sandra Drake, and Nurse Madison Leah. The story is also not rated T for nothing; some chapters may or may not contain graphic scenes. If you don't like, look elsewhere.

* * *

**Prologue ~ Monsters of the Night**

--

"There are nights when the wolves are silent and only the moon howls." - George Carlin

* * *

"All right kids, that's enough training for today."

Relief flooded over the twin rabbits like a river as they fell to their knees, their eyes closing and their weapons powering down. The words had registered in their minds at just the right moment, because both were sure that neither of them would be able to take another minute of this harsh training. Since becoming Woo Foo Knights in a Little Less Training, Master Yo had been piling on the chores and the training like never before.

Who would've thought that the title 'Little Less Training' meant that they'd be training even harder than they were when they were just Woo Foo Students, even if it was for shorter periods of time?

A loud groan of weariness escaped the male twin as he toppled over, his chest and chin hitting the earth with a soft thud while his hand loosen around the hilt of his bamboo sword and his dark blue eye lids lowering half-way over his rich violet eyes in a sleepy way. He thought being promoted would be cool, but _this_...! He couldn't even comprehend how far away this was from cool!

Well, at least Yin wasn't any better off; the female twin was still on her knees, but with the way her chest was heaving and how red her hands were from the Foo Balls she'd been firing out all day, he could tell she was just as tired as he was.

From above the twin rabbits, the panda master only gave a shake of his head, stretching out his legs from the lotus position and placing them down upon the lawn. Gazing down at his two exhausted students, he put his hands on his hips, a smile coming to his features. "Well, kids, you actually did better than I thought you would," his features turned from a smile to a frown after a moment. "Although, letting that thief get away with those artifacts yesterday wasn't really all that good." he crossed his arms, glaring sternly down at them.

"It wasn't out fault..." Yang's weary voice broke through the silence that followed after his sensei finished. "That guy was fast and hit hard. I still have a few bruises from that fight." he explained, his violet eyes opening up to full size as he looked up at his master.

"That's why today's training session was a little tougher than yesterday's; you need to be prepared for anything, even a simple thief." came his master's response as the panda began to walk towards the door of the Dojo. "Now, since you guys excelled at today's training session... and you cleaned the outhouse like I asked, I guess I can give you guys the rest of the day off... but you guys better not wake me, or I'll put you right back on those chores!" the panda warned as he disappeared behind the doorway, shutting the woven door behind him. Today's session had been much tougher than the others, and supervising was a stressful job; he needed rest, big time.

Immediately, Yang's fatigue disappeared after hearing these words, a large grin coming to his features.

"Finally!!" the blue rabbit jumped up from his position on the ground, pumping his fist into the air. He'd been waiting all day for this moment, and after a hard day of training and working, freedom had never tasted so good.

Yin, on the other hand, wasn't as enthusiastic as her brother; while he'd been beating stuff up with a sword - and enjoying it, mind you - she'd been throwing Foo Orbs from her hands nonstop for the past three hours, and right now, all she wanted was some sleep... and possibly some ice for her sore palms.

Normally, she wouldn't have fought so hard, but after yesterday's events, in which both she had her brother had engaged a thief that had hit the local museum and were defeated by said thief, she was trying her best to get stronger. Besides, had her master known she was in pain, he was likely to have stopped the training earlier; that was something she didn't want, not when she wanted to hand that thief his tail next time they met. This defeat had been both humiliating and a blow to her pride and confidence, something she wasn't going to let happen again.

She sworn that she wouldn't let that thief get away with anything next time he appeared.

With a pained groan, she pushed herself up from her knees to stand to full height before she started to examine her sore palms. They were stinging with a numb pain, and were a little darker in color than her normal pink. Oh, yes, she'd definitely be heading straight to bed, and she'd be getting that ice as well; she couldn't stand this numb pain, it was just too persistent to ignore.

"Hey, Yin." her brother's voice caught her attention, causing her to turn her blue gaze up towards the darker blue rabbit. "I'm going to head over to Roger's in a few minutes, there's a game we haven't had time to finish; what are you going to do?" he asked.

To this, the pink bunny gave a long and exhausted sigh. "I'm going to turn in early, Yang. Today's session has made me really tired." she stifled a yawn with these words, to which her brother only snickered.

"Aw... little sis can't handle some hard training without wearing herself out?" he asked, smirking smugly as he gazed at his sister, mischief dancing behind his eyes. His pink twin only glared in response, a low and weary snarl coming from her throat. She neither had the time nor the need for her brother's jokes. Instead of coming up with some witty remark, the pink child only pushed him aside gently before walking towards the Dojo, sliding the door open before disappearing behind it.

From his position in the courtyard, the blue rabbit gave a few snickers at his sister's expense. If she had really worn herself out, then it was going to be extra fun ticking her off; a chance too good to miss for the blue twin. And while there were so many things that could blow Yin's fuse, there was pretty much only one thing that would send her over the edge: that light pink diary she kept with her at all times. It was a way to kill two birds with one stone, as he'd tick off his sister and - if he was fast enough to avoid her attacks - he'd get some juicy blackmail on her by reading said diary.

With that, the blue rabbit walked back into the Dojo himself, a playful smirk across his face. Roger could wait a little longer; this was going to be just too much fun to let slide.

--

A streak of crimson crossed the gaps between the buildings almost with an unreal grace, sharp green eyes flickering left and right to judge the distance of each jump, but also hiding within them a veiled emotion. Leaping across to another roof, he extended his arms to catch his fall, landing upon all fours without so much as a sound before he continued his path. He was sure he saw them come this way, and his sense of direction was never wrong.

Coming upon a building with a wide roof, the creature landed in a similar way to how he landed on the building before, his breathing a little bit labored from the speed he'd been traveling at. With a push of his hands against the brick and concrete below him, he rose to full height, turning his sharpened gaze to the sky as an eerie smile came about him. Night would be upon the city soon, the perfect time for thieves of his nature, although tonight's hit would be a little different than what he was used to.

His smile remained as he placed a hand over his shoulder, covering the place where the dark scarlet fur had been scorched off and giving it a short rub. Pointed ears went back against his crown as he closed his eyes and gave a dark chuckle, his smile widening ever so slightly. He couldn't help himself now, after seeing that power that little girl possessed, he had to control it, even if only for a night. Sure, she was a child and he had defeated her and her idiotic brother, but that child possessed more power than all those other political women combined...

And, next time, he probably wouldn't be able to best her.

Yet this was not his motive for the actions that would play out tonight; no, he didn't want simply control the girl or make her afraid of him, those were just perks that would come with the territory. What he really wanted tonight was a thrill, and lately, stealing things from high security places just wasn't cutting it for him anymore. Now, a child with this amount of power... he was getting goose bumps by just thinking of it. He'd make sure she wouldn't be able to fight back first, which he was sure wouldn't be very hard considering she wasn't that old, and then he'd have her all to himself.

A toothy grin crossed his features as he reached into a side pocket of the brown vest he wore, taking out a small ring and twirling it between his fingers as he examined it for the fifth time that day. A spoil of his hit, and one of his best trophies, because not only was it valuable, it would be quite useful later on.

Twenty four carats, made around two hundred years ago, and powerful enough for the job at hand. A sparkle of dangerous intentions entered his eyes as he collected the ring in on the top of his fist, placing the end of his thumb beneath it and giving it a flip into the air. As it descended, he snatched it out of the air with his other hand, his eyes narrowing slightly in mirth.

And the people called Woo Foo stupid? He'd laugh out loud if it wouldn't get him caught. Those museum curators had no idea that this little artifact was a wizard's ring made especially for weakening rival powers, and Woo Foo was no exception. How else would he have been able to defeat those kids so easily? And the best part was, the closer he got, the weaker the powers were...

Unfortunately, that meant he'd have to get up as close as possible in order to completely cut off a rival's power, and that meant the farther away the rival was, the more powerful the attack would be that they sent out. The ring might weaken powers, but it didn't seem to affect attacks sent out at another distance, possibly because such attacks could be easily dodged or easily missed... truth be told, he wasn't exactly sure why the ring was made that way, but the scorched shoulder he'd received in his confrontation with the bunnies was more than enough to tell him to act fast.

Oh, well, he'd just have to make due with what he had. Besides, what he was planning meant he'd have to get up face to face with the young girl either way.

Placing the ring upon his right ring finger, he raced forward to the other side of the roof, jumping down as to land upon the ground inside a darkened alley. Catching his fall with his hands and feet, the creature jerked his gaze towards the end of the alleyway, his eyes only giving one blink before he swiftly moved to the adjoining alleyway.

Despite how close he was to the streets, he knew he was safe from curious eyes in the darkness of the closed spaces; darkness was the only friend and partner in crime he wanted, and besides, no one, not even the most horrible of villains around here, would be caught skulking in a garbage filled alleyway, too unsanitary for their tastes.

He was all alone now, but he wouldn't be for long...

--

At the Dojo, Yin entered the room she and her brother shared, her left hand opening the door while her right hand held a small bag of ice she'd managed to sneak past her sensei. She couldn't have anyone knowing she'd hurt her hands in training, as it would most likely get her into trouble with someone after they'd found out she'd weakened herself; not a position she wanted to be in.

Dragging her feet to her side of the room, she placed her ice bag upon the left side of her bed before climbing upon the mattress and dropping her head upon the pillow, sighing in relief. However, the hard surface beneath the pillow perked her up a little as she remembered the final part of her daily ritual.

"Oh! Almost forgot!" she stated as she raised up into a sitting position on her bed and slipped her hand beneath her pillow, grasping the object and pulling it out into sight with a sweet smile. Her diary, the only thing of solace and privacy she had left, considering how her brother was. Said diary was nothing more than a small light pink hardcover book with a small fabric pocket on the cover to hold the pen, which was of the same color as the covering.

There was nothing written on the spine, no sparkle or two-ni-corn picture pasted upon it, just a simple color that wasn't too bright or too dull to the eyes on the outside, and most of the events of three years of her life, from the day when she'd started keeping the diary to right now, her most prized possession next to the purple bow she wore upon her ears, which had been given to her by a kindly nurse the day she was born and which she'd kept ever since.

Removing the pen from its holder, she opened the pink cover and flipped through the written pages. A sigh that sounded almost like a laugh escaped her throat, the pen she used to write with was pink, yet the ink it had within it was as black as the night sky itself, very strange indeed. She was broken from her thoughts when she finally came to an empty white page with pink guiding stripes that were even lighter than the book's cover, a perfect slate for adding the newest entry to the rest of the three years she'd been keeping this diary.

However, as she was about to put the pen to the paper...

"Gotcha!"

The book had been slammed closed and snatched away so fast, Yin barely had enough time to blink. However, the sound of her brother's obnoxious laughter brought her out of her shock in a hurry. Crystal blue eyes narrowing, the pink girl's face became redder than her hands as she gritted her teeth in anger. Weariness and pain tossed into the most forlorn corners of her mind, she leaped off her bed and chased after the blue rabbit at a speed close to that of a cheetah.

"YANG!!"

--

It had taken him all day, but at last, the thief had found the residence of the two rabbits he'd engaged yesterday. Surprisingly, he wasn't sure why it had taken him so long, considering it wasn't some apartment or condo; a Dojo in the middle of the town shouldn't be that hard to find.

Well, however long it should've taken him, he'd found it either way, and as he thought, at a reasonable time, too. Sharp gaze glared upwards at the slowly setting sun, a smirk coming to his features. It had to be at least seven o'clock in the afternoon, plenty of time to get to observe his target's residence, but first, he'd have to get some leverage. That stone wall was quite large and he didn't have x-ray vision.

With a growl of annoyance, the creature leaped upon a dumpster before bouncing off of it and grasping onto a window seal of the nearest building. Pushing himself upwards, he latched onto a window that was higher up before leaping upwards and grasping upon the ledge of the roof before flipping himself upon it. Giving his fur a shake, he closed his eyes for a moment, letting his tired and wound up form rest.

Today had been more of a challenge than most heists he pulled, as he was out in the open and had almost been spotted once or twice. If someone had seen him and called the police... well, that would've put him on the spot easily, and the very thought of it got his adrenaline pumping. He needed to unwind, and soon, so the wait he'd have to go through till night fell would be just the thing he needed.

Ears suddenly perked upwards at the sound of glass shattering, and curiosity got the better of him. Creeping over to the edge of the building's roof, he turned his gaze to the direction the sound had come from, which was within the now smaller wall that surrounded the Dojo. Sharp green eyes caught sight of the pink and blue blurs racing in the yard, and immediately he knelt down to stay out of sight, turning his ears in the direction of the voices as to listen in on what was happening.

--

"Yang, give that back! Give it back, NOW!!"

Yin's high pitched scream of anger roused the panda master from his slumber in his recliner, a groan of disbelief coming from his throat. He didn't want to believe it, but it seemed as if his students still had enough energy to get into a loud argument even after how tired they seemed earlier, and here he thought he'd be able to get some rest today; easy come, easy go he guessed.

With a few grumbles, he made himself comfortable in his chair once again for the third time in five minutes and closed his violet eyes, content with letting the two bunnies settle this argument themselves while he got back to sleep. However, the moment he heard glass shatter, he reopened his eyes with an annoyed growl, gritting his teeth and narrowing his eyes. It seemed he'd have to break this fight up as well.

Lifting himself off the chair, the panda master moved towards the door that led to the yard, which now sported some serious looking burns and holes as well as an opening that resembled Yang's figure. Sliding the woven door open, the panda master growled once again as he stepped out from the safety of the Dojo and into the war zone.

"Kids! What in the name of Woo Foo is going on out--WHOA!" he'd started to go into a rant, but found himself quickly cut off when he ducked a light blue Foo Orb, covering his head with his arms for extra protection and allowing said Orb to fly over him harmlessly before entering the Dojo and slamming into the wall on the other side.

Raising back up from his position on the ground, he gave a worried glance behind him at the path the Orb had traveled before turning his attention back to his students, his mouth slightly agate with disbelief at how far the argument had escalated. However, upon seeing the pink book that was clutched firmly in his blue pupil's hands, his shock wore off quickly as he slapped a hand upon his forehead in annoyance. Of, course, why else would Yin be so angry unless Yang had stolen her diary again?

"Wow, this is a good one!" Yang's voice sounded off as he jumped upon top of the stone wall before he caught sight of his sensei in the corner of his eye. "Hey, Master Yo, listen to this-" the blue rabbit had no time to finish as a Foo Orb brushed dangerously close past his cheek, removing some of the boy's dark blue fur in the process. "Whoa! Gotta keep moving!" the blue rabbit exclaimed as he leaped off the wall, just seconds before his fuming sister had jumped upon the exact same space he'd been in.

"Yang, get back here!" the pink bunny screamed as she leaped after her elder brother, the look on her face telling her master that as soon as she caught her brother she would not hesitate in strangling him. Also, it seemed as if she didn't care about where her Foo Orbs hit anymore, just as long as she got her diary back; a very hazardous situation for both the sensei and the students.

With some quick thinking, the panda master quickly raised his hand as Yin closed in on her brother, catching both children with his Woo Foo and effectively immobilizing them. Upon seeing that neither of them were about to break free anytime soon, the elder sighed in relief; he wasn't sure if he could dodge another stray Foo Orb again. Placing both rabbits in his gaze, the panda master moved closer to the now floating siblings, a stern gaze coming to his eyes.

"Yin, Yang, what is going on here?" he asked as he lowered them to the ground, releasing them from his grip and placing his hands on his hips as he kept them in his stern glare. He didn't need this today; heaven knew he didn't need this, so why had it cursed him today with his students' tempers breaking?

Purple eyes turned towards Yang as the blue rabbit opened his mouth to speak, possibly to defend himself, but Yin's voice beat him to the punch.

"Yang stole my diary and wouldn't give it back!"

Turning towards his sister with a hard gaze, the blue rabbit stuck his nose up in the air in a smug way as he responded. "I did not! I was only borrowing it!"

"Borrowing is when you ask permission, Yang!" the pink child snapped back, her gaze narrowed as flames danced behind her eyes. "And since you didn't ask my permission, you stole it!" with that, she snatched the pink book out of her brother's hands, holding it close to her chest. "Besides, a diary is suppose to be personal! No one but the owner is allowed to read it, and that includes nosy elder brothers!" she added, a snarl edging her voice.

Immediately, the blue rabbit placed his hands up his defense. "Okay, okay, Yin! I was only playing with you!"

"Stealing and reading someone's diary is not a game in the least, Yang!" came the pink rabbit's resort.

"Well, you almost hit me with a Foo Orb! I could have been hurt!"

"Would've served you right!"

Amidst the angry words that were being thrown between both siblings, the panda master only blinked in surprise. A fight between these two normally ended when the object of the argument was returned to the rightful owner or placed up where both rabbits couldn't retrieve it, but that didn't seem to be the case today. All he could guess was that the stress and fatigue from the training earlier had taken its toll on both students. He'd have to remember not to give out training sessions as long or hard as today, because he didn't want a repeat of this.

"Both of you calm down, now!" he tried to assert himself over the escalating shouting, but was unable to.

"Well, I think that's diary's stupid!" Yang's voice had taken a snarling turn of its own as he pointed at the book in his sister's hands. "What use it if no one can read it?!" he asked.

"Will you just mind your own business?!" Yin screeched in response.

"Kids, please!" the Woo Foo master called out, trying to stop the two warring siblings, but again, it was just a waste of breath as Yang reached his breaking point.

"Why'd I have to have a sister?!" Yang snapped out quickly, the anger in his voice surprising his sensei into reeling back a little when the panda tried to step in between the two. "All they do is cause trouble, take fun away, and make your life horrible!" with this, he pointed his finger at his pink twin, who only narrowed her eyes and returned the glare her brother was sending her way. "I hate you! With all my being, I HATE YOU!!" he screeched.

"And I hate you, too!" Yin snapped back, her anger just as high as her brother's. As for their guardian, the words his students shot between each other had been the straw that broke the camels' back. Sure, they got into violent fights on a regular basis, but this was the first time they'd ever said anything like what they had just spoken to each other. Closing the distance between him and the kids, he took more physical action to cease the shouting.

"That does it!!" Yo raised his voice as he grabbed the two up from the ground by the back of their shirt collars before either one of them could reply and continue the argument, bringing them up to his eye level before speaking. "You two need to calm down and think about what you've just said!" he stated, gazing at the blue rabbit before switching his gaze to the pink rabbit. "Do you know what you'd do if something happened to the other?" he asked, a rare serious tone to his voice.

"Yes!" was Yang's response as he twisted from his sensei's grasp. "I'd be the most thankful boy on the planet if she was out of my life!" the rabbit added, still glaring daggers in Yin's direction.

"And I'd be able to get on with my life!" Yin resorted, giving a small 'humph' as she was released from the panda's grasp before whipping her head away from her brother's gaze and walking in the direction of the Dojo's now broken door, the direction of her gait telling the other two that she was heading towards the bedroom once again.

Yang stood in the same position for a few more moments, his eyes still narrowed in the direction Yin had gone in. When he was sure she was in the room, he too headed for the Dojo door, intent on playing his Y-cube and blowing off some steam on some poor fool of a challenger; he would've headed over to Roger's as he planned, but right now, he didn't feel like it anymore. Perhaps tomorrow.

As the blue rabbit disappeared into the Dojo, the panda master only shook his head, slight disbelief about him. "I hope those two know the weight of what was said here..." he stated to himself as he followed his students back into the Dojo. He desperately needed rest at this point, so he decided he'd head off to his own bedroom; at least there, he'd get some peace and quiet.

Or at least he hoped he would. Knowing Yin and Yang, anything could happen...

--

From atop his perch, the strange creature only snickered, a dangerous sparkle coming to his eyes. This was a turn of events that would work in his favor, as he was sure neither rabbit would stay together for very long after a fight like that. Glancing up towards the sky, the thief's smile widened at the slowly darkening sky. Night was approaching fast; his time to act would be upon him very soon, and what a day it had been.

Standing to full height when he was sure the panda wasn't coming back, he placed his right hand out to his eye level, using his other hand to fiddle with the ring upon his finger with a smug look upon his face. "Well," he started, his voice edged with a dark chuckle. "They say they'd be happier if something happened to the other? Then won't this be a test for them." placing his left hand upon his hip, he used his right hand to purse his lips, allowing a string of thoughts to run through his mind. Chuckling to himself, he cut the thoughts off, finding himself growing a little impatient the more he thought about it.

Another thought suddenly cut through his mind after this, what if the two rabbits made up? What if he was caught while he was in the act?

This he quickly shrugged off. Sure, there was a chance of being caught by the panda or the male rabbit, but with the ring on his finger, he was sure he'd be able to take them, although it would be a messy clean up afterwards. Oh, well, there was going to be a mess anyway, he figured it was worth the chance.

--

At least six to seven hours had past after the argument, and slowly the stalker was getting anxious. He'd not left his position on the roof nor had he taken his gaze off the Dojo for more than a few moments. His reasons for becoming so anxious was the fact that he'd been out much longer than he normally would be, leaving him exposed no matter where he was, and there was the fact that he wanted the thrill he was sure to have from the girl. Combining these had left him in a state of where his patience was wearing thin, and he was desperately trying to hold onto it.

It had been at least thirty minutes since the last light had been extinguished, and at last he couldn't take it anymore. His time to act had come, and he couldn't let this opportunity slip away.

Stepping up to the ledge of the building, the creature tensed his muscles before leaping down off the brick building, flipping through the air before landing upon the top of the stone wall, catching himself with his hands and feet before he swiftly leaped into the yard. Sharp green eyes darted back and forth before he moved towards the Dojo, making sure not to make a single noise and alert anyone that may be near by.

Pressing his back up against the outside wall of the Dojo, the creature locked his eyes on his main entrance way, a smirk of mirth and disbelief upon his face. Neither the rabbits nor their panda master had fixed the doorway that led to the yard yet, which meant they didn't think they were going to expect company tonight. Moving closer, the creature's smirk widened as he pushed the door slightly, resulting in the woven door to swing open slowly and allow the creature entrance. "This is just too easy." he chuckled as he crept through the doorway.

Ears suddenly perked upwards as he recoiled slightly, his sight flickering to the enlightened screen of the TV and hearing the unmistakable noise of very loud snoring upon the couch. Great, someone was sleeping in the living room, which raised his chances of getting caught, that is, _if_ they woke up soon. With a low throaty growl, he moved stealthily towards the sofa to examine his challenge, placing his hands upon the back of the sofa whilst placing his weight in his legs as not to make a noise, the fur on the back of his neck rising as he gritted his teeth. However, as soon as he caught sight of who was on the sofa, his anxiety disappeared to be replaced by a smirk.

The person on the sofa was the blue rabbit boy, who was obviously in a deep sleep. Judging from how the TV was blaring and the way the kid was clutching his game controller, the intruder could only guess he had fallen asleep while playing the game; well, this gave him the advantage. With the game blaring as loudly as it was at this distance, he doubted the child would hear whatever went on in the next room, and therefore, he didn't have to worry about the little blue rabbit. Now, where did the panda go?

The even louder noises in the room on the other side of the Dojo gave him his answer.

He was right, this was just too easy and with no stings attached! Still, can't be too careful...

Moving away from the sofa, the thief silently continued to creep towards the room opposite of the panda's room, the one which he guessed was the room he'd find his target in. Despite the loud noises that he knew would cover up his crimes, he still kept a trained eye on the blue rabbit on the sofa and the door to the panda's room, just encase they woke up to get a glass of water or something like that. Finally reaching the door, the creature took one last look around before turning his full attention to the door. "This is going to be so much fun…" he whispered as he began to slide the door open.

--

Loud snoring could be heard from the sofa as Yang slept, his hands still closed tightly upon the controller to his Y-cube. The events of last night had seemingly no effect on his sleep, which wasn't much of a surprise. And like always, as soon as the light of the afternoon sun hit his face, he awoke, opening his rich purple eyes to the new day. A light haze covered his vision as his eyes tried to adjust to the light, causing him to close them again before he released his controller and moved his hands up to his eyes to rub the sleep out of them and quicken their adjustments.

With a quick yawn escaping his mouth, he stretched out his arms and legs, placed his controller on the space beside him and jumped off the sofa, closing the distance between himself and the TV before reaching down to press the power button on his Y-Cube; a daily routine in the household of the Woo Foo Knights. Once that was done, the male rabbit began to move over into the kitchen, his gaze moving towards the door of the room he and his sister shared as he moved past it, and immediately frowning. Yesterday had been a bad day, but hopefully the words said would just fly over and be forgotten. Yang was already beginning that process, and hopefully, for his sake, Yin was, too... although he doubted it.

"Hey, Yin," he called out as he moved over to the cabinet, reaching up to open a door and grab a bowl from within it. "You want something to eat?" he finished as he closed the cabinet and moved towards the pantry. Ears perked up slightly as he tried to listen in for either the door opening or his sister's voice, but strangely, nothing came.

Well, it looked like she hadn't completely forgotten about yesterday after all.

Shrugging it off, the blue boy continued his work, grasping the box of cereal from the pantry and moving towards a counter. "Oh, well, if you don't want anything to eat…" he started as he opened the box and poured the cereal into the bowl. "Then it's your loss, because I'm not going hungry." he added as he closed the box up and placed it on the counter before moving towards the refrigerator, swinging the door open and taking the milk down. As he poured the white liquid over the cereal, he still continued to listen for his sister, but again, he was met with silence.

Now, Yang was getting annoyed, and although he would never admit it, slightly worried all the same. Why wasn't she answering? Was she still that ticked about yesterday? Oh, well, she'd eventually get over it, she always did. Shrugging his annoyance and worry off once again, he placed the milk back up in the refrigerator and closed the door before moving over towards the sofa, placing his bowl upon the coffee table and grasping the remote.

However, as he turned on the TV and turned it to his favorite channel, he couldn't help but to glance worriedly over at the door to his and Yin's room. She was being awfully quiet for an early riser; she was normally up earlier than him most days. Was she still sleeping?

All traces of worry disappeared as a smug smirk came over his features when this thought crossed his mind. If she was, he couldn't wait to get back at her for all those times she'd scolded him for waking up late.

Abandoning his cereal and show, the blue rabbit made his way over to the door, snickering softly as he reached up to slide the door open. He'd waited for so long to catch Yin doing something she wasn't known for, and now was his chance to tease her about it. However, as he grasped hold of the door, he was caught off guard by a retched odor that was coming from within the room. Upon taking one sniff of the odor, he recoiled and covered his mouth and nose, his face turning green as he tired to keep himself from vomiting. Great Foo, what was that?! It was worse than the Stink Aardvarks!

"Yin!" he called out through his hands, trying to breath through his mouth. Taking the chance, he reached up and slid the door open, having expected to find Yin in a lit room ready to throw whatever it was making that stench at him for yesterday, but again, he was surprised to find a dark room. Eyes closed as he fought back a gag reflex, the scent of whatever that was becoming unbearable. Surely Yin couldn't be sleeping, not in this!

"Aw, Yin!" he called out, shaking his head as he pressed a hand harder over his mouth and nose. "If you're still sleeping, then wake up! I can't take this stench any longer!" he added as he closed his eyes, the heat from the smell causing a dull burning sensation to come to them. Placing his free hand upon the wall he knew the light switch to be on, he began to move his hand around the smooth surface to seek out the switch that would brighten the room, although it took a moment of searching to find it. It was when the sound of a soft click came to his ears that he opened his eyes to gaze at whatever was making the stench...

And immediately wished he hadn't.

With a gasp, the blue rabbit recoiled in fear, his hands catching the edges of the doorway as his eyes continued to widen at the sight he was met with.

Right there, in the middle of Yin's bed, was a pool of crimson blood; the source of the horrible stench. It wasn't very large, but it was big enough to cause worry to manifest in the blue twin's heart. Drops of scarlet streaked down her bed cover and stained her sheets, both of which were wrinkled and collected at the foot of the bed, almost as if there had been a struggle of some sort.

But perhaps most frightening was the fact that Yin wasn't anywhere in sight.

Worry for his sister overpowering his shock, Yang didn't think as he rushed over to his sister's bed, grasping the bloodstained sheets and lifting them up to see if his sister was hiding beneath the bed. The scent of the crimson liquid nor the fact he had a few drops of it upon his hands didn't seem to bother him anymore as an icy cold fear bred in his heart when he dropped the sheets and blanket, having been unsuccessful in finding his sister. "Yin?!" he called out, unable to hide the worry that erupted in his voice, which only deepened when he was met with silence for the third time that day.

"Yin, where are you?!" he called out again as he rushed to his side of the room, grasping the covers of his own bed and lifting them up to check if she had hidden underneath his bed. Fruitless again, he wasted no time in grasping his covers with both hands before ripping them off to see if she was hiding beneath them, only to find a pillow and empty space. "Yin, this isn't funny! Yin!" he had no control over the tone of his voice as he moved to the middle of the room, tears welling up in his eyes and threatening to spill over. Yin wasn't here, no, she had to be here! She had to be!

But as he stood in the middle of the now bloodstained room, he felt his knees become weak. What if he couldn't find her? What if she was-

His train of thought was cut off when his ears caught the sound of light whimpering.

Purple eyes widening, the blue boy whipped his head around towards the source of the sound, which was coming from the closet in the back of the room. Almost like lightning, the elder twin raced towards the closet, sliding it open so fast he almost smashed it into pieces. His body became numb as his eyes laid upon his pink sister, the relief flooding over him almost overpowering. She was still in the Dojo, she was still alive, and for the first time ever, he was giving thanks to any and every god that existed, because surely he believed- no, he _knew_ that one of them must exist now.

--

From within the shadows of the closest, the pink student's crystal blue eyes looked upwards as her brother's form appeared from the closet door, her own wave of relief flooding over her. Her brother had found her, oh, thank the lord, her brother had found her! Weak tears flooded from her eyes as she launched herself at his form when he fell to the ground, her arms flinging around him as she cried into his chest. She was safe, after all those hours she was finally safe.

She had heard her brother's earlier calls, but by this time, she hadn't slept all night, and the attack that had occurred last night had only drained her more. She couldn't find her voice to respond to him, she was too tired to do anything, but she didn't want to sleep either, not until she was sure she was safe. Fear had overcome exhaustion, meaning while her body demanded rest, her brain kept her awake encase the intruder who had entered the Dojo in the middle of the night came back. All she allowed herself to do was to cry, and cry until she ran out of tears.

Hard, dry sobs escaped her throat as she felt her brother's arms wrap around her shaking form, his own tears soaking the fur on her face and his form slightly shaking. The scent of the blood seemed to be drowned out as she took in her brother's scent, the scent she'd known since before her birth; it gave her comfort, much more than the dark loneliness of the closet could ever give her.

"Yin, what in the name of Foo happened to you?" her brother's shaky voice cut through the silence, the tone almost a whisper. He was struggling to keep himself from losing his cool, which was something that neither of them needed right now. He had to be strong for his sister, and if he became a wreck, both of them were in trouble. Yin seemed to understand this, however, when she opened her mouth to respond to his question, only a dry gagging sound came out. Her voice was still gone from her, possibly not to return for a while.

Worry settled over the blue boy's heart once again when he caught the sound of his sister's attempt to speak, his eyes widening for a moment. As if her condition wasn't bad enough, with the cuts and bruises that littered her body as well as the blood that stained and crusted over her shirt and fur, she couldn't even find her voice, and judging from the stench of the splatter of yellow and green that stained the carpet next to them, she wasn't going to get any better anytime soon. She needed help, and fast.

"Yin," he spoke up again, his voice a little stronger in an attempt to calm her down. "I'm going to go get Master Yo. I'm sure he'll know what to do. Don't worry, I'll be right back." he explained as he loosened his grasp on his sister. Yin's response was to tighten her grip on her brother, her figure trembling harder at the thought of being left alone again. This sight pulled-no, _ripped_ at the heart strings of her brother's heart; what had happened last night? How long had she been in here? These thoughts ran through his mind as he tightened his grip around her once more.

He knew he had to go get their master, but how could he leave his little sister alone?

The answer was simple: he couldn't. He just couldn't leave her alone, not when she was in this state. He couldn't bring their master to her without leaving her though, so instead he opted to bring her to their master. At least then he would be able to stay by her side.

Thinking quickly, the blue rabbit reached out and grasped a throw blanket from the other corner of the closet. It wasn't anything special, just a brown cotton blanket that was used during the cold nights, but it had escaped the splatter of blood and vomit, and it would help for now in covering his sister's form; her shirt was so badly torn that there were some parts that were barely hanging on by a thread.

Placing the blanket over his sister's shoulders, he found the strength to lift her up with him as he rose to full height, placing an arm behind her back to balance her when she nearly toppled backwards. "Easy now. Come on, I'll help you walk." the blue rabbit stated in a comforting way as he began to lead her out of the closet, wrinkling his nose as he held his breath as the stench began to reassert itself to his senses.

--

"Master Yo! Master Yo! Wake up!!"

As soon as the blue and pink rabbits escaped the room, Yang had taken a quick breath before using his free hand to slam the bedroom door shut and cut off the smell. He didn't want to smell it, and Yin most certainly didn't need to smell it either. But as soon as he was able to breathe again, he wasted no time in shouting for his sensei, his voice reaching a tone loud enough to startle the panda into consciousness-

...and topple out of bed in his shock.

A groan of annoyance came from the panda as he rubbed the spot on his head that hit the floor, his teeth gritted slightly in annoyance. It was too early for this, and he was getting too old to keep being woken up like this.

"What is it this time, Yang?" he called back, his eyes opening as an annoyed scowl came to his features. As he raised himself to full height, said blue rabbit threw open the sliding woven door and entered the room with his sister; when the panda caught sight of his two students, he couldn't stop the gasp that escaped his mouth.

While the brown blanket covered up most of the injuries Yin had received, the bruises on her face and hands were out in the open, while the now dried blood drops upon Yang's face and hands was almost as equally terrifying. Naturally, their panda master immediately suspected that the two had gotten into another fight and things had become physical, however, there was just something about the scene that told him that was not the case. "Yin, Yang! What happened?!" he asked, his voice raising as he closed the distance between himself and his students.

"It's Yin, Master Yo." Yang's reply was shaky and tired from the effort he had used to call his master. "I found her like this in the closet. She's beat up really bad, and there's blood everywhere in the bedroom. She can't even talk anymore!" the rabbit's voice had taken an almost desperate tone.

The panda hadn't heard anything else past the fact his student was beaten up badly and wasted no time in scooping her up into his arms. The young girl only trembled slightly before snuggling further into her guardian, sniffling lightly. Carefully, the panda moved back one of the corners of the blanket to examine her injuries, though it only took one glance at her ripped shirt and shallow cuts for him to understand the extent of her wounds. "Yang, get in the car! We're going to the hospital!" the panda stated as he placed the blanket back over his student and turned towards the blue twin.

Yang wasted no time in bolting towards the car, his master on his heels.

Racing out the front door, the panda spared a glance at his pink student, whom in the comfort of her guardian had passed out within moments, having no strength left to stay awake. A sigh of disbelief and worry escape the panda as he stared down at her, his gaze holding concern and fear for her well-being. These cuts and bruises were deeper than what a bandage could cover, and the more he looked over them, the more chills raced down his spine. He had a life-sucking feeling that there were more injuries that what he was seeing on the surface, although he was praying to whatever God was out there that he was wrong.

Finally making it to the car, the panda master placed his sleeping student in one arm before using the other to fling open the car door, placing his sleep bound student in her usual seat while her brother jumped in on the other side, quickly reaching over and placing her seat belt over her exhausted form as his their sensei jumped in the front seat and cranked the car. Yang barely had enough time to place on his seat belt before the car ripped out of the Dojo gate, bound for the hospital and having no intentions of being distracted.

However, as they roared out of the gate, there was still one question weighting heavily on both the male student and the sensei's minds:

_'What happened to Yin?'_

* * *

**A/N:** Wow... five days to make this prologue, _five days_! It would've been up sooner, but my mom has had us out on the road running errands, and unfortunately, my laptop broke last year, so blame my mother for not having this up so soon. I've also taken away some of the chapter to add the mystery back that Nobility wanted; to be truthful, I liked it too.

Read and review please! This is Snowy signing out. :D


	2. Shadows of the Day

**A/N: **Well, first off, let me say I'm so sorry for not getting this up sooner, but I had a touch of writer's block, other interests and as well as a case of my mom wanting to use the computer to watch episodes of 'Grey's Anatomy' that she missed and whatnot. Anyway, I've finally got this chapter up, and I hope you like it, because I worked has hard as I could on it, placing everything else on hold until it was up. Now, I've finally got it up and everything is right in the world.

Now, for those who are new to my story style, time for shout-outs to all my reviewers! Can I get a 'whoop!' anybody?

-~-

_**Shaddow the Ultimate Life Form**_: Don't worry, I'm planning on keeping this going until completion. I've already got some seriously good battle scenes for the climax of the story in my mind and I need to build everything up until that point. And don't worry about spelling errors, it happens to the best of us.

_**Futuredream3000**_: Thank you, my friend and loyal viewer, I'm glad to know you liked it. And don't worry, you will not have to wait any longer for this chapter, because here it is. The other chapters, however, I'm afraid I can't make promises.

_**Yin and Yang opposite**_: Thank you as well, my other friend and equally loyal viewer. I'm very happy to know you've enjoyed the prologue, but let's hope you enjoy this just as much as you enjoyed the beginning, because it gets even better as the story goes along. I've added more twists and turns. *grins evilly*

_**Nobility**_: Well, my friend, I'm glad to hear your praises are high. I try to make each chapter the best I can, and I've gotten better since I first put up the story, so this time I'm pulling out all the stops. And yes, every time someone says the 'H' word, they are tempting karma in the worst of ways. Soul-shattering and heartbreaking are always what I try to go for, because that's when I'm at my best. Let's face it, I can't do a humor story to save my life. And I'm also glad you like this version of the Dark Gentleman more so than the last; my mind comes up with all sorts of things and then I have to work to explain how they got that way, evolving the story along the way. And as for your missing of the mystery from the original story, I admittedly like that much better too, so I've added that back to the prologue and have placed up the big reveal of what happened here; I had to change the prologue around a little bit because of the direction I wanted this chapter in, so please re-read it before reading this chapter, and I took the time to fix those typos too. But don't worry about the scenes that I removed, they'll be coming up again soon enough. I'm just saving them for another time. Anyway, let's see how you like this chapter as well. *big, goofy grin*

_**Neptune's Heart**_: Hold on there, my friend! *grabs hold of Neptune's arm* You can kill him once the story is over, but until then, leave the butt-kicking to all of Yin's friends, okay? *pats head* Now, thank you for the praise, and again, I hope you love this chapter as much as the prologue.

_**The Lady of Darkness**_: Well, as always, I aim to please my reviewers, and I'm glad you are pleased. I love stories that make you feel as if you are the character or with the character, because that is just how I roll, and to know I've done that here is very up-lifting. I'm glad you like the original one too, but this one is definitely my favorite if I had to choose because I put so much time and effort into making it the best I can. As for the jackal... well, you'll have to just leave him alone for now like Neptune will and see what happens. Once the story is over, you all can beat the crap out of him as much as you'd like, I promise. *crosses heart*

_**RedFox09**_: This is the fruits of all my effort and labor, and I'm glad to know you like it. Like I said to Nobility, I cannot write anything of pure humor or crack a joke to save my life. It's not that I don't like a funny story, I just can't find the muse to write them. Serious stories like this are pretty much my best works and all I can really do, so forgive me, but I doubt you'll be seeing anything funny from me. But don't worry, this story will not go unfinished this time, and I swear it! *picks up a lance and runs up to my horse* So come on, Writer's Block! Take your best shot!

_**Shonen Sanzo**_: No, you're not rude at all. I've got the second chapter up now, so that's a step forward to finishing it. Hope you enjoy!

-~-

Now then, on with the show!

**Disclaimer and Warning: **This story is purely fan-made; I do not own any characters in this story except for The Dark Gentleman, Detective Justina Domino, Officer Andrew Jayden, Ms. Laila Scarlett, Dr. Sandra Drake, Nurse Jacob Taylor, and Nurse Madison Leah. The story is also not rated T for nothing; some chapters may or may not contain graphic scenes. If you don't like, look elsewhere.

* * *

**Arc One, Chapter One ~ Shadows of the Day**

--

"Experience teaches us slowly and at the cost of mistakes." - James A. Froude

* * *

"C'mon! Move it, you road-hog! I've got an emergency!"

The words that spewed from the aged panda's mouth were all but ignored by the elder twin, his entire focus being placed upon his sleeping sister's form. The blue rabbit was currently huddled up against the car seat, his arms coiled around his knees and holding them to his chest tightly as he watched the pink rabbit breathe in and out softly, but even in sleep she didn't look at peace and at times he wondered if she had woken up. Was she so troubled even in her sleep that it disturbed her from sleeping, or did the pain of her injuries just cause sleep to be hard? Either way, she was in pain, whether it be emotional or physical, and that knowledge enough was too much to bare.

His rich violet eyes closed as he ripped his gaze away, unable to look at her anymore without the threat of tears racing down his face. His bodice trembled softly as he gritted his teeth harshly, his eyes shutting tighter as he tried to control his emotions. Despite his reputation as a battle hardened warrior, he was in fact very emotional, he just kept everything pushed down under a shield that screamed confidence and bravery. That time that his emotions had ran wild over the city had proved that, but right now at this exact moment, he was feeling all of those pushed down emotions at once.

Sorrow, confusion, fear, hurt... all of these were mixed together with many, many other emotions he couldn't - or rather didn't wish to - name at this second, but above all of these emotions was one that was clear as the sun above.

Guilt.

It was capped at the moment, controlled by what remained of his will alone, but Yang knew that feeling when he felt it. His grip tightened around his knees as he forced more tears back, his purple eyes opening slightly to view through the water that was trapped on his lids. There was no doubt someone had come into the Dojo and had done this to his sister, and he hadn't been their to stop it. His eyes flashed closed again as a single tear managed to escape his eyes, his face lowering into his lap as he tried to control his emotions yet again. He could have stopped this, he could have saved his sister, so why didn't he?

Because of the fight they'd had and because of the fact he'd fallen asleep upon the sofa that night while playing his game.

The memories of yesterday that he'd thought were laid to rest now had resurfaced, replaying in his mind as if it had just happened a few seconds ago; first he'd snatched her diary, and that had gotten her riled up just as he'd expected and wanted, and in the resulting chase, she'd caught up with in the lawn, and thankfully Master Yo had been there to save his tail before Yin had the chance to kill him. After that, the fight escalated, and then those words... those horrible words had been spoken. He flinched and tightened his grip on himself at this part of the memory, his trembling increasing slightly. He didn't mean those words; he was tired, he was bored, he just wanted to play...

But this... this was just too much to bare...

His trembling ceased as he reopened his eyes, turning his gaze to his still sleeping sister yet again. The blanket that he'd given her was still draped over her shoulders, covering most of her cuts and injuries, but certain cuts and bruises, including ones that he hadn't noticed before, were visible on her face, turning her even pink fur into a mosaic of purple, blue, black, white, and crimson. The very sight threatened to make him sick to his stomach, and also caused his spine to freeze and his blood to chill.

Uncoiling one arm from his knees, the male twin reached out to his sister's form, aiming to grasp her hand, to give him reassurance that she was going to be alright, but recoiled only inches away and coiled his arm back around his knees, turning his gaze away from her. He didn't deserve to be reassured, not after what he'd done to her yesterday... not after what he _hadn't_ done for her last night.

If only he'd not lost his temper, if only he'd gone to sleep in his bed in their room that night... if only he'd woken up in time to save her from this pain. He could have saved her, he could have spared her these injuries and this pain. This was all his fault, and he knew it too. The fact he hadn't been there for her to help her in her time of need was a worse feeling than seeing the injuries that littered her delicate figure. She was younger sibling, she was the one he was suppose to protect, so why was it that he'd failed so many times in that job?

The horn of the car startled him as he jerked his head upwards, his violet orbs flashing in surprise as he looked to his sensei, who was hammering his hand against the horn.

Despite appearances, the panda was in no better condition than his blue student, he was just showing it a different way. Dark purple eyes narrowed as he gritted his teeth, hitting the gas pedal harder as he raced way past the speed limit, going around different cars and speeding past red lights in his attempts to reach the hospital. It was a great surprise that no police cars were following them actually; the number of wrecks the Woo Foo master could have created were numbering well into the thirties already.

"_C'mon!_ Can you move any _slower?!_" the panda screeched at a random driver as he hammered the horn yet again, growling softly to himself. Every second that it took them to get to the hospital only made the panda ever the more worried for the well-being of his youngest student. Needless to say, being woken up to learn that his female student was in such a condition was a very nerve rattling experience for the aged guardian, and many questions were buzzing in his mind, questions that needed answers as soon as possible.

Without warning, the panda turned the steering wheel sharply to the left to make a quick turn, but unknowingly caused his students' forms to jerk to the right in the process.

The blue rabbit was quickly jerked from his thoughts, his arms uncoiling from around his knees and his hands flying to grasp the edge of the seat to steady himself. Once they were back on straight asphalt, his gaze quickly jerked over to his sister's direction, wondering if she'd been jarred awake by the sharp turn.

Thankfully, she was still in sleep's gentle embrace, be it she was now a little further to the right than she'd been earlier. Letting a sigh of relief escape him, he slowly resumed his former position, coiling his arms around his knees and huddling against the back of the seat. He wasn't going to object to his sensei's dangerous driving; if it got them to the hospital quicker, then he was all for it.

The faster they got Yin help, the better it would be on his conscience... and his aching heart.

--

Darkness... it was all that she could see, all she could think of. Even her dreams were of darkness; pure, untouched, empty darkness.

Next to her brother, the pink rabbit trembled in her light slumber, her eyes closing tighter ever so often as she curled into a tight ball, her ears lowering to her head as she tried to force the nightmares from her mind, but each time she did, they just kept coming back stronger than ever. She was asleep at times, but just as her brother thought, it wasn't a peaceful sleep, and she drifted in and out of the world of reality. From behind the shadows of her eyelids, all she could see was the harsh green gaze of her attacker, and ringing in her ears was the spine chilling voice that had come from his mouth.

A slight groan escaped her as she pulled the brown blanket her brother had given her further over her body, curling tighter into her ball.

The darkness of her mind was comforting; it encased her in a cocoon of security, keeping her from her mind and the memories it had hidden away from her, something that gave her glee and annoyance; glee for the fact she didn't want to remember, and annoyance for the fact that she couldn't remember. She was torn, remembering would bring back the fear of that night, but if she didn't remember, what was she to tell her mentor and brother about what happened? All she could remember was who had done this to her, but as to what he'd done exactly, she had no clue whatsoever.

A pang of numb heat flew through her body when the car hit a bump, and she was jolted back into conciseness, but she didn't bother to reveal her crystalline eyes to the awakened world, instead closing them tighter as her teeth gritted from behind her lips. That heat was what was left of the attack, the constant pain she was feeling in her lower stomach. It wasn't sharp like the edge of a knife, nor blunt like the whack of a baseball bat, it was just numb, constant, seemingly never-ending pain that always jolted throughout her body whenever she was moved. The soreness from her cuts and bruises didn't hold a candle to this pain, and that in itself brought a single question that echoed throughout her mind.

Was there an injury on her body that she or her master and brother couldn't see?

--

The moment the hospital appeared in sight, a feeling of sheer relief flooded through the aged panda as he tore into the parking lot, his foot hitting the brakes so hard the rubber on the tires left dark black skid marks upon the black asphalt. The car gave a hard jerk as it finally came to a stop in front of the building, jarring his blue student from his silent reverie and back into reality as his violet eyes caught sight of the area they were in. Faster than lightning, both student and master leaped from their seats and out the doors, coming around to the side where Yin still remained in an exhausted half-slumber.

Opening the door, the Woo Foo Master reached in, unbuckling the seat belt and scooping his student up into his arms, holding her to his chest as he raced away from the car, not bothering to close the door or turn the car off; the injured girl in his arms was his first and foremost priority.

Moments later, the panda master burst through the doors of the hospital, placing his student securely in one arm while he used his other arm to hold the door open, his violet eyes wide as he looked around wildly for someone who could help and his breath coming in fast gasps and pants. "We need a doctor! My student's hurt! She needs help, please!" even if he tried, he would've never had been able to stop the words that escaped his mouth, nor the emotionally distraught tone that came with them as they left his voice.

All throughout the panda's body, the feeling of relief became like a living water, flooding through his veins and melting the ice that had formed in his blood while he was on the road. The realization that they had finally made it to the hospital slowly crept through his mind, and a new sense of comfort flooded behind that relief as he turned his purple gaze down to his pink student, whom had snuggled closer to her guardian's chest in an attempt to feel safe yet again.

They were finally here, everything was going to be alright after all...

From behind the front desk, a nurse had jerked her head up from the papers she was going over in surprise at the sudden sound of the aged panda's distraught voice, her blue eyes widening upon seeing the sight of a small pink bundle wrapped carefully in the brown blanket and snuggled close in the elder's arm. It didn't take much to tell that the young girl was badly hurt, and that in itself made her heart fall from her throat into her stomach.

Not wasting another precious second, the nurse jumped from her chair and bolted from behind the desk, racing out to meeting the panda, holding her arms out to take the injured child as she came to a stop in front of the elderly Woo Foo Master. "Sir, give her to me. I'll take her back to the doctors." she spoke gently, not wishing to add more distress to the elder; he was already worried enough as it was and it surely wouldn't help the girl's condition. However, there was a sense of urgency in her voice; he had to give her the young girl if she was to helped, even if it was hard to let her go at this moment.

At the sound of the new voice, the panda looked up fairly quickly, his purple gaze meeting with the dark blue gaze of the nurse. For a moment, his eyes narrowed slightly as his face took a thoughtful look, his grip on his student tightening ever so slightly as he considered the words and the person who spoke them.

The nurse didn't break her gaze away from his, the calm and seriousness of her eyes never faltering; he was slightly reluctant, that to be expected in such situations like this, but it had to be overcome if the girl was to get the care she needed now. "Sir, you can trust me. I promise, I won't let her out of my sight, but you have to hand her to me." she kept her tone even and level, but the urgency was now more pronounced that it had been earlier.

Another long moment passed before the elder's hard gaze relented, and his grip on Yin loosened just enough for the nurse to take her from his grasp. His other hand fell from the door as the nurse took his student, letting the door slam back shut, blocking out the outside world. "You'd better not let her out of your sight." the panda's voice wasn't hard, but it was dead serious either way, and promise eternal pain should anything else happen to his student.

Shifting the weakened and tired girl in her arms to gain a better grip and place her in a more comfortable position, the woman looked back up at the panda, giving a nod of acknowledgement to his threat. "I won't, you have my word." she reassured before she turned on her heel and raced into the back room, using her shoulder to force the door so she wouldn't have to loosen her grip on the injured girl.

Left standing in the doorway, the purple gaze of the panda master turned down to his elder student, who had been clutching tightly to his sensei's pants' leg while he'd watched the entire scene take place. Feeling the eyes upon him, the blue rabbit turned his rich violet orbs upwards to gaze back at his master, his eyes filled with concern and uncertainty. Sighing, the panda placed his hand upon the back of the child's head in an attempt to comfort him, wanting to give him some reassurance that everything was going to be alright... even though he himself wasn't so sure anymore.

Neither master or student noticed the approach of another nurse until the creature made his appearance known.

"Excuse me, sirs." he spoke carefully and gently, gaining their attention in a short amount of time. "You both should sit in the waiting area until we have news on the girl's condition." he suggested, gesturing with his hand to the seating arrangements in the corner, his features sympathic to their current emotional states over the health of the pink rabbit.

Both the panda and the rabbit looked over in the direction the nurse had gestured in, standing in the same position as they seemed to consider his suggestion. After another long moment, the elderly panda gave a slow nod, removing his hand from the back of the elder twin's head before walking towards the seats, the blue child following closely beside him and the male nurse in tow. As Yo took a seat in a chair, his student chose a chair next to him, climbing up and sitting down in the same position he'd been in while riding in the car.

Once both were seated, the male nurse gave a sigh, taking the clipboard that he'd had beneath his arm and the pin from behind his ear before looking back to the panda and rabbit. "Now, I have a few questions about the girl you brought in. We need all the information we can get so that we can treat her properly." he explained, receiving a nod from the panda in response.

The blue child, however, just continued to stare blankly into the empty space, ignoring the questions that the nurse asked and the answers his master gave in response.

--

"Alright, Nurse Leah, what do we got?"

The nurse looked up to the on-call doctor as she laid the young pink girl in her arms on a hospital bed, stepping to the side for the physican to check her over. "Young female, early teens; came in unconscious with multiple lacerations and bruising over her body; she's believed to have been the victim of assault. Nurse Taylor is getting more information from her family." she explained, receiving a nod from her superior.

The physician gave a nod of acknowledgement to her nurse before turning her attention to the young girl, quickly taking off her stethoscope and putting it on to check the girl's heart and breathing rates. Pulling a corner of the blanket away, the doctor had to force herself not to gasp at the sight she was faced with, anger quickly replacing the initiative shock as she narrowed her eyes dangerously. "Of all the _sick, twisted, repulsive_...! Who does this sort of thing to a _child_?!" she growled through gritted teeth, her hazelnut eyes flashing with a deadly fire.

Calming down slightly, the doctor grasped the other end of her medical instrument, bringing it up to her mouth and breathing on it to warm it before placing it on the girl's chest, falling silent as she listened calmly to the heart beat and breathing of the child in her care. "Heart rate silently elevated, breathing rate normal." she stated as she lifted the device off the child, taking the other ends out of her ears in the process. "Alright, let's take her to Exam Room One so we can get a better look at her injuries." the doctor announced, receiving nods from her fellow healers as they grasped the gurney and began to bring it into the room she'd instructed them to.

"Doctor Drake!" a sudden voice called out as Taylor jogged into the back, catching the doctor's attention as he came up beside his superior, walking beside her as she followed the nurses and her patient into the room.

"Talk to me, Taylor. What did you learn?" the physician asked, her voice level and commanding as she gazed at the nurse with the clipboard in his hand. Giving a nod in response, the younger nurse cleared his throat before reading what he'd learned about the young girl and had written down on the clipboard.

"The patient's name is Yin, no last name. Eleven years old, no known allergies or health problems. She was found by her brother, Yang, at exactly 10:48 A.M this morning hiding in the closet in the state she is in now, and they drove her to the hospital. The attack is believed to have happened last night, but the attacker isn't known by either the brother or guardian." he explained, looking up to his superior from the clipboard afterwards to hear what orders she had to give now that she knew this knowledge.

The doctor seemed to be in deep thought as she considered the nurse's words, her hazelnut eyes narrowed softly as she turned into the room the gurney had been taken in. The child had been moved to a hospital bed at this point, the gurney having been rolled out of the room shortly before the physician had entered. Quickening her pace slightly, the doctor returned to her patient's bedside as most of the nurses began to file out to give the doctor more room, save for Nurse Taylor and Nurse Leah, whom had brought the child in.

Coming up to the bed, the doctor turned her attention to the nurse in question, curiosity flickering in her eyes. The female nurse seemed to understand the unspoken question, and quickly answered before her superior could ask. "I promised the guardian I wouldn't let her out of my sight; I have no intentions of willingly breaking my word." she explained, her blue eyes glistening as she locked her gaze with her superior.

The physician's curiosity quickly turned to understanding as she gave a slight nod, returning her attention to the pink child on the bed. There was no reason for this particular nurse to leave right now, so she would allow her to stay for the moment; after all, breaking the trust of a patient's family wasn't exactly what Sandra liked to do in any shape or form.

Gesturing for Taylor to close the door and for Leah to give her some room, the physician waited until she heard the click of the shutting door before she lifted a hand and gently grasped a corner of the blanket, pulling it off the child's delicate form to get a better look at her injuries. Cringing sympathetically at the sight, the doctor shook her head in disbelief at what she was met with before beginning the visual examination.

Scabbing had formed over the cuts the child had suffered, and the bruises had darkened, indicating the healing process had begun. The injuries supported the family's claim that the attack happened at night; the healing process was well beyond the half an hour it took to get to the hospital, and the blood that was scattered over her fur was crusting and dry.

From behind her and directly in front of her, she could tell the moods of her nurses had changed from calm and collected to sympathetic and disbelief. It was to be expected; these kind of cases always hit home, whether it be the most experienced of doctors or the newest of nurses, like these two.

However, as the physican looked over the child, a new sight quickly turned a simple case of an assault into something completely different.

Hazelnut brown eyes widened slightly as she spotted the blood streaks that had crusted on the inside of the pink girl's legs, and her heart fell to her stomach in sickening revelation as her gaze caught the pattern of the bruises around her throat and wrists. Ripping her eyes from the sight, her focus quickly turned to the child's torso as she lifted up what remained of the tattered white shirt in an attempt to prove herself wrong, but instead she gave a gasp and recoiled back in complete shock and disbelief as she instead confirmed her fears, catching the curious gazes of her nurses.

Calming herself as fast as she could, the physician quickly grasped the brown blanket and re-covered the young girl before turning to Jacob, her gaze hard and serious. "Jacob, go find a phone and call the police, _now_." her voice was soft, but hard all the same as she used the nurse's first name, something she rarely did. The nurse's eyes widened slightly before he grasped the door knob, opening the door and rushing out to get the phone, leaving the door slightly ajar in the hurry.

Hazel eyes then turned to the female nurse, whose eyes had taken an uncertain gaze as she locked eyes with her superior's hardened eyes. "Stay here with her, Madison. Don't let anyone else come in here until the police arrive. I'm going to talk with the family and get some answers." she ordered, receiving a slightly fearful nod before she turned on her heel, grabbing the edge of the door and opening it all the way, walking outside and closing the door softly.

Once the physican had left down the hall, the young nurse turned her gaze back to her young charge, who was shivering slightly despite the warm blanket that covered her figure. Out of sympathy, the young woman placed a comforting hand on the girl's shoulder, but it did little to calm the young girl. Out of curiosity as to what had rattled her superior, the nurse removed her hand from the girl's shoulder and grasped the edge of the blanket and lifted it up, using her other free hand to gently lift back the shirt as her superior had done, and was met with the same shocking sight.

A loud gasp of complete horror escaped Madison before a look of disbelieving sympathy came about her features, her head shaking as her eyes closed while she placed both the shirt and the blanket back down over the child. "Oh, my god... I'm so sorry, little one." she whispered quietly, her tone soft as she took a deep breath. Now she knew exactly why her superior had acted the way she had.

The child was in worse condition than what was originally thought...

--

Vivid green eyes flickered from document to document as delicate hands sorted through the paperwork scattered over her desk, a sigh being given as one hand lifted up one particular piece of paper to bring it in for a closer inspection. The creature's eyes narrowed in concentration as they scanned the written words of the police report, but it only resulted in a sigh of annoyance as she slammed the report down on the desk. It was the same as last time; nothing big stolen, not a trace of evidence left at the scene.

Five years... five years this criminal had eluded the police, five years she'd been tracking him down, five years she'd been moving from town to town with each sighting. For five years, different teams had been assigned the case each time they didn't catch the thief, including her original team who had been the first one assigned to the case; the only reason she'd not been taken off the case as well was because she was the only one who knew the most about the thief, and through her knowledge she'd had become their best hope of catching him over the years.

While most would've killed to have been in her position on cases they'd grown too close to, in all honesty she wanted nothing more than to move on to more high profile cases rather than be stuck on this case, hence her annoyance on the matter.

"Why, after all these years, hasn't he been caught yet?!" she asked herself as she leaned back in her chair, placing a hand to her temple and massaging it gently as she closed her green eyes, making them meld into the dark black signature mask of her species, her black ringed tail swaying slightly as she tried to think over the things she'd learned over the years, looking for something she'd missed.

Over the course of five years, she'd learned a lot from the behavior of the thief; she knew he never stole anything that was too large to be carried out in his hands, he always struck places of high security, he never struck the same place twice, he never stayed in one city too long, and he had been escalating in every hit. This was common knowledge to everyone in the police station, but it was what else she knew that she focused on. Eye witness reports had described the thief has a dark red jackal with piercing green eyes, much darker than her own electric green, and a charming smile to go along with manners you would expect with a man of high class, hence his press title in the cities he'd already hit; The Dark Gentleman.

Immediately after that title had been released to the press, she'd fought tooth and nail to try and get it removed, arguing that they were giving him something they wanted, but it had been too late because now everyone who knew the case was calling him that. Eventually, she let it go, but only because they had more pressing matters to attend to.

From the eye witness reports she could remember and the common knowledge the police station knew on the Dark Gentleman, she had some clue on what the thief was all about. With what she had, she'd done her best to profile him herself, and so far she concurred he was an adrenaline junkie, always seeking a thrill, hence his reasons for hitting places with such high security, and that he had a large amount of pride in his hits. He was also very observant and skilled in his trade, learning from his mistakes and making sure to never do them again, and planned out each hit to the letter so that nothing went sour.

As well, his mannerism told her he had either been raised in an orphanage or in a high class home. If the first theory was right, it would explain how he came into his trade and became so skilled, but if the second theory was correct, then the reason for his choice in career came as a mystery to her. Perhaps he was tired of a privileged life and wanted to rebel?

"Detective Domino."

Green eyes flickered open from behind her eyelids as her ears caught the voice of a street cop, a flash of relief flickering throughout her green orbs as she welcomed the short distraction. "Yes, Officer, what's the problem?" she asked calmly, tilting her head slightly to the right in curiosity. The officer, a male bald eagle dressed in the classic blue attire, cleared his throat before replying to the detective's question.

"We've just got a call from the hospital, saying they have a victim of an assault. The crime is different, but the MO is consistent with the Dark Gentleman." he explained, and immediately the detective jumped up from her chair, opening her desk drawer and grasping her weapon, which she quickly holstered, and her badge, which she placed in the pocket of her jeans.

"Assault? What happened, did the homeowner catch him and try to fight him off?" the detective asked as she circled to the front of her desk, grasping her notepad and placing that in her other jean's pocket as well. It was to be expected that sooner or later he'd hurt someone if they tried to stop him, she just didn't expect it to be today. However, when the officer remained silent, it sent a horrible feeling into her gut as she reached for her pen, slowly placing that behind her right ear as she looked back to the eagle. "Officer?" she asked, her tone careful as she gave him a curious look. In response, the eagle gave a heavy sigh, his eyes closing as he spoke.

"Actually, the assault is of a different nature, Detective... the victim is an eleven year old girl, and if what the report says is true, then the Dark Gentleman has become more than just a petty thief..."

--

"Excuse me, are you the family of Yin?"

Two sets of violet eyes jerked up at the sound of a feminine voice, their gazes coming to rest upon a lovely silver tabby cat dressed in a doctor's robe with the name 'Dr. Sandra Drake' sewn into the white jacket and a clipboard tucked away beneath her arm. Once the question had fully registered in their minds, both the panda master and the blue rabbit student gave nods in response, receiving a small smile from the lovely physician as she came up to them, pulling up another chair and positioning it so that she was facing both the panda and rabbit. As she sat down, she placed the clipboard upon her lap, obviously wishing to talk first before asking them to sign whatever the fourm was on that board

"Hello, my name is Doctor Drake; I'm the physician treating Yin." she began, keeping her voice level and retaining eye contact with both the boy and his guardian. "I'm happy to say she's in stable condition; no life threatening injuries or broken bones, just a bunch of bruises and minor cuts." at these words, the panda and rabbit both released the breaths they'd been holding in, weights seemingly being lifted off their shoulders, which only made her feel worse about what she was about to tell them. "But, there was something that I found that concerns me..."

At this, their gazes turned worried, purple eyes locked on the silver tabby's own hazelnut gaze.

"What do you mean?" it was Master Yo who spoke first, his tone laced with a new concern that now weighed down on his shoulders like an ox's yoke. The way the doctor said that last sentence renewed the chill in his blood; was there something threatening his student's health that he missed?

To this, the silver cat took a deep breath, steeling herself for what she was about to tell the elderly panda. Of course, she knew that they too were both suspects in this, but the look in their eyes and the feeling in her gut told her that they had nothing to do with what had happened to the young girl. However, she had been deceived many times before; the police would be able to sort out who was guilty soon enough once they got here, but until then, it was her duty to tell them what had happened to their family member. "Well, upon the visual examination, I discovered thin trails of died blood on her inner legs, as well as harsh bruising around her stomach. There were also some injuries beneath her shirt that resembled bite marks, and--" she was cut off mid-explanation by another voice.

"_Bite marks?!_" it had been the pink girl's brother that had spoken up, his purple eyes widening to the size of dinner plates as he leaped from his chair in his shock. "What do you mean 'bite marks'?!" a tone of anger and worry came to his voice as he narrowed his eyes, his fists clenched as he closed the distance between himself and the physician until he was standing right in front of her. The silver tabby's hazelnut eyes widened at the child's boldness, but she couldn't say she blamed him; chances were, if the roles were switched, she probably would've been acting the same way if it had been a family member of hers.

Moving her gaze up to the children's panda guardian, she could see that he was in a similiar mindset, his purple gaze narrowed as he stared her down with narrowed eyes.

Shaking off her sudden shock at the reactions of the girl's family, the silver tabby took a deep breath, calming herself before speaking up again. "As I was saying, next to the bite marks, we also discovered some bruising around her neck and wrists, which are consistent with the type of attack this was." she finished in the same tone she had spoke with moments earlier, before the blue rabbit had interrupted.

The look in the blue rabbit's gaze only hardened as he narrowed his eyes more sharply, his teeth beginning to grit upon each other. "And what kind of attack would that be?" he asked, a worried but hard tone to his voice as he stared the doctor in the eye boldly. The silver cat gave a soft sigh as she returned his gaze for a few seconds before closing her eyes, breaking the eye contact with the boy as she spoke.

"A sexual assault. I'm sorry, but it appears that Yin has been brutally raped."

* * *

**A/N: **Finally! Done and done! It is a little shorter than the prologue, but at least it's up. I can't promise the same amount of words will be placed up each time, some chapters will be shorter than the others, but I hope they have the same deep emotional impact the prologue does. Oh, by the way, I forgot to mention this story takes place a little while after 'Upstanding Yuck', because then all the things I need for this story come into play. *smiles* Oh, and as a warning, this story just might change to an M-rating after all, because... man, do I have a sick mind or what? I just might show what exactly happened in that bedroom that night, but until then, I'll leave it up to your imaginations.

Anyway, read and review please! This is Snowy signing out. :D


	3. Into the Uncertain

**A/N: **Wow, I am on a role, two chapters in the same week. However, I can't make promises about the next one, because that may take some time, or it might just take another day or two, depending on how I feel, how many reviews I get and how many people go onto that poll I've got on my profile deciding on which story you guys want to see from me next. It's getting on my nerves because I know after I get this one done, I'm going to have so many ideas racing through my mind and I'll never get another story up. So please help me out with reviews, with what you want to see from me next, and with this little contest of because it'll help get this story done faster too.

You see, I've got two secret pairings in this story planned. If one of you guys gets one pairing right, I'll send you a sneak peak of a scene between the pairing you guessed before it even hits the story.

Now, onto the shout-outs:

-~-

**_Shonen Sanzo_**: Thank you, and you're welcome. Let's hope you like this chapter too, cause I'm pouring everything I have into it.

**_Yin and Yang opposite_**: I know, but poor Yang doesn't know about the ring, and as far as he's concerned, he should have been there either way. But don't worry, he'll get his revenge. As for the M-rate for the story goes, I'm glad that someone is happy about that, because I was afraid it would cause my reviewers to leave the story. However, for now, it'll remain T-rated until I have to change it to an M-rate... which, if it keeps going has it is, won't be long. I know I've said this many times, but details are what I live for, they're my lifeblood as a writer. Skimp the details, and then the story just falls flat. I'll try to keep up my best work, and keep up with quicker updates.

**_SilverBlueAngel_**: I'm glad to know you think this is worth waiting for, because then I know I haven't lost my reviewers' faith. And don't worry, as long as you review, I don't care with chapter you do it for. Reviews help better me, they let me know people are actually reading my works, and don't worry, because even if I go on hiatus, I don't leave a story undone unless I tell my reviewers I'm discontinuing it personally. Glad you love the details, but I'm sorry these current chapters aren't very exciting. Don't worry, once I get past a few more chapters, that's when the twists and turns will happen, and that's when things are going to get somewhat suspenseful and gruesome. Will you be able to handle this shadowy, demented and twisted mind of mine? We shall see.

**_Neptune's Heart_**: Oh, don't worry, you'll see that soon enough. Just scroll down, my loyal reviewer. And thank you, I'm relieved I got it up too.

_**Squad Unit 19**_: Wow, thank you so much for your praise, Squad Unit. I hope you stick around for the many more chapters that are to come. I plan to bring the chapters of this story up into the thirties, and I already have everything planned out so that nothing gets left out. There are going to be so many twists and turns to this story that no one will ever see coming. It's going to be a big party... *evil grin*

**_Futuredream3000_**: Thank you, my loyal reviewer. In chapters like this, I always try to pack as much detail and emotion as I can so that it'll still hold your attention, and it seems to be working. *big grin* However, don't start saying 'poor Yin' just yet, things are about to get a lot worse for her. And as for the turquoise rabbit with the mad skills and the bad attitude, I'm sorry to say he's not in this chapter, but he'll be coming along shortly in a few more chapters; be patient.

-~-

Now then, for one more explanation. Unlike the first version, the story will not center around the diary entries, but rather the struggle Yin goes through to move past her incident and the struggles of all those effected by it. The diary will have some part it in, but it won't be as big nor as important. Now, let's get this party rolling again!

**Disclaimer and Warning: **This story is purely fan-made; I do not own any characters in this story except for The Dark Gentleman, Detective Justina Domino, Officer Andrew Jayden, Ms. Laila Scarlett, Dr. Sandra Drake, Nurse Jacob Taylor, and Nurse Madison Leah. The story is also not rated T for nothing; some chapters may or may not contain graphic scenes. If you don't like, look elsewhere.

* * *

**Arc One, Chapter Two ~ Into the Uncertain**

--

"In these matters the only certainty is that nothing is certain." - Pliny the Elder

* * *

Silence.

Pure, deafening silence.

Purple optics locked with gentle hazelnut brown as disbelief overtook the aged Woo Foo Master, his eyes looking as if they were about to pop out os his skull and his mouth ajar as the full effect of the doctor's words took a hold of him. The minute the doctor had spoken those words, those horrible and unexpected words, everything had changed. His eldest pupil was similar in reaction, except now he'd adverted his gaze to the floor, his entire form stiff with the knowledge of this new revelation.

It was no secret to the panda master that both his students knew more about the world than he had wished for them to. Things that he'd tried to hide from their innocent young minds had always managed to creep up somewhere along the line, and the word 'rape' was no different. It had appeared one day while they were on a trip to the grocery store; some girl's drunk ex-boyfriend hadn't taken well to the fact he'd been dumped and had started speaking things Yo would've perferred his students not to hear.

Needless to say, the panda master had ushered his students out of the store as quickly as was mortally possible. But his rush had appeared to only heighten their questions about what the drunken man's words meant... and despite all his attempts to keep that knowledge from their minds for as long as he could, they'd found out a day later on the news when the same man was arrested for attempting aforementioned crime on his ex-girlfriend. The victimized lady had all but explained to the reporter exactly what her attacker had tried to do in very graphic detail before Yo could change the channel. Shortly after that incident, the twins had expressed desire to all but forget what a rape was, something the panda master was glad for.

Of course, he'd never dreamed that the crime could happen to his young charge.

The doctor that had given them the news continued to stare between the panda and his rabbit student for a few seconds, unsure of what to do, but after a moment, she sighed, grasping the clipboard in her left hand and rising up to her feet as she closed her hazelnut eyes, her features solemn. "I can see you need some time to digest this news..." she began cautiously, reopening her eyes as she began to speak again. "I've already alerted the police if you're wondering; they'll be here soon enough to take a detailed report of what happened. I'm sorry this has happened to you." she stated calmly before turning her attention to the elderly panda.

Lifting the clipboard up, she extended the forum out to the children's guardian, sighing softly. "I need your permission to do some tests, make sure she hasn't caught anything from her attacker." she explained as the panda took the clipboard curiously. Once the board was out of her grasp, her hands reached into her coat to retrieve a pen from a pocket, lifting it out and handing that to the Woo Foo Master as well.

Without asking a question, the panda quickly read over the forum in front of him before signing it, handing the clipboard and pen back to the doctor shortly afterwards. "Yes, please, do everything you can for her." he stated, his voice seemingly empty from shock despite his attempts to keep it calm. The silver tabby simply nodded as she placed the pen back into her coat and the clipboard beneath her arm again before turning around, ready to begin her walk back to the door and begin the test. However, a weak voice caught her attention before she could take one step.

"When can we see her?"

Hazelnut eyes turned back to the blue rabbit, who was now staring up at her with the most heart wrenching look in his eyes, looking as if he was about to burst into tears at any given moment. The sight of the child tugged at the silver tabby's heartstrings, but she had to remain firm. Her patient was sleeping, and while it was unlikely, either one of these two could be the culprit for her condition. "Soon." she spoke gently but kept her tone level and unshaken. "She's resting right now, but when she wakes up, we'll start the tests. Once they're done, I'll bring you back to see her." she promised before turning her attention back to her front.

Closing the distance between her and the door, pushing it open with one hand and disappearing behind it a second afterwards, leaving the master and student behind to wait for more news on their family member's condition.

--

He couldn't describe it, no matter how long he brooded on it, the words just slipped away from him on what he was feeling.

Returning his violet gaze to the cold titled floor beneath him, the blue rabbit didn't seemed to notice as he walked slowly back to his chair, pulling himself up and taking a seat yet again. His eyes remained in the staring down position, as if his head was too heavy to lift anymore. Not that there was much to look at; save for the empty seats of the hospital's waiting room they were in. It must have been a very slow day before they got there.

Fiddling with his thumbs, the blue rabbit tried to wrap his mind around what he'd been told, to understand the words the doctor had spoken, but found it impossible. His twin, his baby sister, the one he'd been born with, had been brutally attacked in one of the worst ways he'd ever heard of... and that only worsened the guilt that was already overflowing from him. The elder twin's violet eyes closed harshly as he slammed his back against the back of the chair, gritting his teeth in an attempt to hold himself from crying again.

He wouldn't cry, he absolutely would not cry; to cry meant that he was breaking, and he would not allow himself to break, not when his sister was in such a condition. Seething out each breath, the blue rabbit gritted his teeth harder as water began to form on the bridges of his eyes and his form began to tremble.

This wasn't happening, this couldn't be happening...! This was all a bad dream; he would wake up soon enough, find that Yin was perfectly fine, and then he would apologize like crazy for the fight yesterday, right? Again, he lifted his head back before slamming it back into the chair, seething out another breath. He needed something to break, something to release all this stress he was going through, and while the chairs around him were very tempting, common sense told him that it wouldn't help his family at all.

A large comforting hand was laid on his shoulder, giving it a soft squeeze.

Rich violet eyes opened up to look at the hand that rested on his shoulder, following the arm it was attached to up to meet the gaze of his sensei, who's face was mixed with concern; both for the physical condition of his youngest student, and for the emotional well-being of his eldest student. A sigh escaped the elderly panda as he closed his eyes, unsure of what to say to the eldest rabbit that would help out at this moment. His blue student was an emotional wreck, and he had a pretty good idea that the fight yesterday had something to do with it.

"Yang..." the panda began, trailing off softly as he tried to seek out the right words. However, before he could speak again, Yang's voice broke through the silence that fell over them.

"Is Yin going to be alright, Master Yo?" the blue rabbit had placed a worried hand upon his sensei's much larger one, his eyes never faltering from his mentor's gaze, but his voice sounded like a soft whimper. For a long while, the panda just stared back into the eyes of the young rabbit, unsure of how to respond to that question, but after a while, the elderly master removed his hand from the child's shoulder before reaching over and picking him up, placing him on his lap to comfort him like a father would his son.

"I don't know Yang... the doctor's doing all she can." he sighed as he closed his eyes, keeping a hand on the young boy's back as the blue child went limp, his smaller figure leaning into his master's form and his eyes staring blankly ahead at the white wall. Reopening his eyes, he gently rubbed his male student's back, sighing deeply. "For now, all we can do is hope." he added, his aged voice becoming almost as soft as a whisper.

To be honest, he wasn't sure that even hope was going to do the trick this time, but he had to try...

--

"Stupid traffic... damn thief... stupid stoplight... stupid case..."

Mumbles escaped the detective as she drummed her fingers against the steering wheel of her car, green eyes narrowed dangerously as she gritted her teeth and lowered her ears to her skull. She couldn't believe the day she was having, and just when she thought things couldn't get any worse!

First off was the fact she had come back to work and look over that stupid case file yet again, next was the fact that the distraction she'd had was in fact a bigger headache now that there was a possiblity that the thief had evolved into a rapist, and now was the fact that she was stuck in traffic and the stoplight seemed to never change from red.

This just wasn't her day...

A growl tore itself from the raccoon's throat as she gritted her teeth harder, her head slamming itself against her steering wheel in her frustration, closing her eyes harshly as she tried to reign in her anger at the world. She'd been sitting down in this traffic for ten minutes, and since then it still didn't show any signs of moving; she was starting to believe she was going to be stuck here for hours before she was going to make it to the hospital where the victim was. Why was everything against her today?

"Detective, you should really calm down."

Electric green eyes opened as she slowly turned her gaze to the back seat, where the officer from before, Officer Andrew Jayden, sat calmly, his eyes locked upon the raccoon's tense form. Since he'd been the one to take the report, she'd chosen him as her partner for today because of the fact that he was currently the only one who knew the most about the case. However, thanks to that comment, she was beginning to have second thoughts about that decision.

"Calm down?" she asked, her voice in almost a humorous tone as she raised her head up, taking her hands off the steering wheel and turning around to look him straight in his golden eyes. "Calm _down_?!" her voice raised in pitch and hardened in tone as her eyes narrowed into dangerous slits. "There's an eleven year old girl that is going to be emotionally traumatized for the rest of her life in the hospital, a possibility that the thief that's been eluding us for five years has turned into a child rapist, and now the frigging light won't turn green, and you're asking me to calm down? Really? Calm down?!" she asked, emphasizing the last few words of her rant as she stared the eagle down.

To her reaction, the eagle's eyes widened, his form tensing as he backed further into the car seat. "All right, all right! I'm sorry." he said, holding his hands up in surrender to the raccoon detective. All around the police station, everyone knew about the detective's low stress tolerance from day one when she'd blown up in her office about the case, only to be told by one of her former partners that it was a weekly occurrence. Ever since then, no one had been wanting to get assigned as her partner, including himself.

So it was with great disbelief and slight fear for his life and his sense of hearing that he accepted the position for today when she'd told him he was coming with her to the hospital. If he hadn't accepted, he wasn't exactly sure what would've happened in the long-run, making the choice of coming with her the best choice... however, he was now having second, third, and fourth thoughts about that decision.

The seething raccoon's glare remained on the bald eagle a while longer before she released a relieving sigh, her tail flicking softly from beside her seat. Crossing her arms over her chest, the detective gave a small 'humph' sound as she settled herself in her seat, her eyes locked upon the road in front of her just encase the traffic decided to break. Calming down was _not_ on her agenda today, not after hearing that there was a very real possibility that the thief she'd been hunting down had turned rapist and child predator.

After all these years, the Dark Gentleman might've actually done something much more serious than simple thievery, and that thought both angered her and chilled her. The fact he was getting bolder was very nerve racking to the experienced detective, and it was enough to bring up a question that made her blood turn to pure ice.

If he was willing to do this - if he had done this - what else was he willing to do?

The sudden sounds of car engines jarred her from her thoughts, and immediately a loud and grateful sigh of relief escaped her as she placed her hands back on the steering wheel. "Finally! Now maybe we can make it to the hospital without another incident like this. Hopefully we'll be there in only ten minutes now." that statement was made mostly to herself, but her partner silently agreed to himself with the first part of her statement.

He for one didn't want to get caught at another stoplight in traffic with the raccoon detective; he'd almost gotten his head chewed off this time for trying to be friendly and supportive. After this experience, he wasn't going to try and make that mistake again.

--

"How is she, Nurse Leah?"

The young nurse looked up from tending to her charge's minor cuts and bruises as her superior entered the room, closing the door softly as hazelnut eyes met with soft blue. A sigh escaped the younger female healer as she looked back to the still sleeping form of the young girl, placing on the final covering over the last cut and placing the corner of the blanket back around the child's form before sitting back down in the chair she'd pulled up to the little girl's bedside. "Still sleeping, and still trembling." she sighed as she shook her head, adverting her gaze from the child's figure as she closed her eyes and aimed her features down to the floor.

"Doctor Drake, who does something like this? She's eleven, she's just a child..." Madison's voice trailed off as she spoke, her blue eyes reopening to gaze back at her superior, hoping she would have the answer to the question.

The silver tabby cat only sighed in response, shaking her head calmly as she approached the nurse and her sleeping patient. "I wish I could answer that for you, Madison, but I can't. No one knows why things like this happen, only that they do, and we have to deal with them." she explained as she placed her stethoscope back into her ears to check the girl's heart and breathing rates again.

Breathing heated carbon upon the metallic end to warm it up, she placed it to the girl's chest again, moving it over her lungs and her heart before sighing in relief. "Heart rate's come down a little, breathing still normal." she stated as she removed her medical instrument from her ears, placing it back around her neck as she turned back to her nurse, a slightly concerned look about her features. "You look thirsty. You should get some water or something." she suggested gently, placing a hand on the young woman's shoulder as she did so. However, the young vixen shook her head in response, determined not to break her word to the girl's guardian.

"No, I'm fine." she stated, looking up and locking eyes with the silver tabby cat. "Did you get any answers from her family? Do they know who did this?" she asked, curiosity lacing throughout her voice as she spoke.

A sigh was all she was met with from her superior once the words registered in her mind. "No, I didn't ask any questions. They took it hard, so it's my gut instinct to say that they have nothing to do with this and know nothing. But... I've been wrong before." she explained, giving her head a small shake as she spoke the last part. "However, I did get her guardian's permission to run tests for sexually transmitted diseases and infections, so we should get those done as soon as she wakes up." she added calmly before her gaze turned back to the pink girl on the bed.

Looking down at the child in her care, her hazelnut eyes softened with gentle sympathy, a deep breath being drawn into her lungs to calm the slowly rising anger welling inside of her. "The police will sort everything out once they get here. Madison, please page me if she wakes up. I'll be back shortly." she added, her voice slightly quicker than it had been before. She had to get out of this room, otherwise she feared that she would go off the deep end. It was always the cases involving children with injuries that you couldn't place a band-aid on or kiss and make better that hit hard, and this one was no different.

However as the silver tabby made a move to go some place else, a small noise caught her attention, bringing her hazelnut gaze back to the patient on the bed and locking them with the crystalline blue eyes of the young girl. Sandra's eyes widened slightly as the young girl came to life, leaping up from her position and struggling to the opposite side of the bed, her eyes wide with fear.

"Where am I?!" the young girl shrilled as her voice came back to her in a heartbeat, fear lacing through her voice as she gazed around at her surroundings, one hand clutching the edge of the bed while the other held the corners of her blanket over her chest. Loud whimpers of fear escaped the young girl as she switched her gaze from Madison, whom had leaped from her seat the moment the girl had begun to show signs of awakening, to Dr. Drake, who was currently trying to speak to the frightful girl.

"Yin, listen to me." the doctor's authoritative voice broke through, catching the younger female's attention immediately as the crystalline blue orbs locked onto the silver tabby's figure. "My name is Sandra, and this is Madison. You're at the hospital, and we work here. You don't have anything to fear; you're okay, you're safe." she explained, her voice calming down to a gentle tone as the young girl showed signs of calming down herself. Slowly, the young girl's harsh breathing had evened out, and the fear in her eyes had lessened considerably, much to the relief of both the silver tabby and her nurse.

"T-The hospital?" the young girl forced out, her voice barely a whisper as tears threatened to spill from her eyes. At that sight, Madison took charge, speaking up before her superior had the chance.

"Yes, the hospital. Your guardian and brother brought you here." the nurse explained, her tone gentle and kindly as she caught the younger girl's attention, gentle crystalline blue locking with the vixen's soft darker blue.

"M-Master Yo... Y-Yang... w-where are they?" the pink rabbit asked hesitantly, her form tensing as she curled up into a ball against the railing of the hospital bed. Slowly, Madison began to walk around from one side of the bed to the side where the young pink rabbit was, the younger girl's crystalline blue orbs watching the vixen as she placed her hands upon the mattress and lifted herself up to sit on the bed, causing the girl to flinch away slightly.

"They're out in the waiting room, Yin." the nurse explained calmly, slowly reaching out to the tense young patient. "Your guardian asked me to keep an eye on you while your back here; he and your brother are very worried about you." she added in the same tone, a soft smile crossing her features as she kept eye contact with the younger female.

The younger twin kept eye contact with the vixen for a few more moments, seeking out any type of deceit in her eyes, but soon enough she began to slowly crawl into the nurse's open arms, snuggling into the nurse's soft blue-grey fur as the young nurse placed a gentle hand on the child's back to help keep her calm. "Can they come back here?" the pink girl asked weakly, looking up to the vixen nurse with still fearful eyes.

However, it was Dr. Drake who spoke up instead, catching the young girl's attention as she came up beside the younger females. "Soon, little one, soon." she spoke just as gently as her nurse, placing a kind hand upon the young girl's shoulder. "But for now, we have to do some tests, make sure nothing else is wrong with you, and I don't think either you would want them to be back here while we're doing them." she explained softly, squeezing the young girl's shoulder before removing her hand.

Turning around from the bed, the physician moved over to a hospital cabinet that was placed in the room, opening one of the supply drawers and taking out a swab, a swab container, a rubber tourniquet, a needle, a cotton ball, and a band-aid. As the pink child watched these tools be taken out, she fearfully huddled further into the nurse's arms, wrapping her blanket tighter around her form.

The vixen's gentle blue eyes looked down at the young rape victim, sighing softly to herself as she patted the child's head gently, wrapping her other arm around the young girl's form. "It's alright. Dr. Sandra is a very gentle doctor. This won't take long, and I'll be right here the entire time." she soothed gently as the silver tabby came back to the bedside, her hazelnut eyes looking to the young girl with a sympathetic gaze.

"I'm so sorry, little one, but it's for your own good in the long run." the doctor whispered to herself as she prepared the tools to extract what she needed from the girl.

--

"Are you the family of the victim?"

An authoritative voice spoke through the silence of the waiting room, stirring the young blue rabbit from his thoughts and catching the elderly panda's attention. Both pairs of violet eyes looked towards the source of the voice, which was a mid-aged officer dressed in the classic blue attire and holding both the panda and rabbit in his gaze. Taking a quick glance around, the elder could see a few more similar dressed people entering the back, obviously to ask questions back there as well. Exactly how much time had passed?

Shaking off his mild shock, the elderly panda immediately picked up the blue student on his lap, gathering the boy into his arm and standing up to speak with the officer. His reason for not placing his blue pupil on the floor or in one of the chairs was because he wasn't sure the child could stand by himself right now... and because he didn't want to let go of his student just yet. "Yes, we're Yin's family." the panda replied, receiving a small nod of acknowledgement as the officer took out a small notebook from his vest pocket.

"I'm the police captain that's been assigned your case." he explained, not bothering to give his name to the rabbit and panda as he flipped open his notebook, taking the pen that had been tucked inside it and placing the ink tip down upon the paper. "I have some questions to ask you about your family member." the officer went on as he motioned for the panda to sit back down, which he complied to. The young blue rabbit in his grip continued to remain limp in his sensei's arms, the life seemingly drained out of him and all sound and sights becoming nothing but blurred light and white noise.

"Alright, first off, could you describe the events that happened before the attack?" the officer asked, his tone level and serious as he continued to stare down the panda master, his eyes never faltering in their gaze.

The panda simply took a calming breath as he began to process the events from yesterday. "Well, we were doing our training as normal, then once we were finished, I retired to my chair as usual. Then my students had a... disagreement-" the young rabbit in his grip flinched at the mention of the 'disagreement', his purple eyes closing tightly. "-over Yin's diary. After I broke it up, we went our separate ways. Yin went in her room, Yang went to play his game, and I went to my room to get some sleep." he explained, tightening his grip upon his eldest pupil in an attempt to comfort him once he felt the child flinch.

The police captain gave a nonchalant nod, jotting down what he was told onto the notebook. "Alright, and how would you describe the nature of your relationship with your students, sir?" he continued, looking back to the elderly panda as he spoke.

To this, the Woo Foo Master gave a strange look. "My relationship with my students? What are you talking-" he started to ask, but the police captain cut him off.

"Just answer the question sir." the officer stated, his voice the same tone and level as before.

Still suspicious, the panda simply stared the captain down before replying. "My relationship with my students is perfectly normal. We have our off-days, but what family doesn't?" he asked, forcing his voice to remain level as he spoke. Something wasn't right here; their was more to the captain's questions than what he was saying. Giving another nod, the officer simply moved on to the next question, ignoring the elder's gaze as he wrote down the answer to the former question while he spoke.

"And how would you describe your students' relationship with one another?"

Slowly, the gears in the panda's brain began to churn. "Why do I get the feeling I'm being interrogated instead of being asked questions?" the tone of his voice had taken a deadly turn as his purple eyes narrowed, his teeth gritting lightly has he glared down the captain.

"It's just standard protocol, sir." the captain responded in the same tone, but wisely closed his notebook and returned the gaze of the panda master.

Immediately after the officer spoke those words, something inside the panda's mind clicked as realization dawned upon him. "You think that either my student or myself did this to Yin." his features and tone had taken a surprised tone, but the same deadly nature still existed behind the veil. What the police captain said next only served to confirm the revelation.

"Like I said, it's just standart protocol, sir."

That was the final straw.

Placing his eldest pupil upon the seat next to him, the panda slowly stood up from his seat, his purple orbs narrowed dangerously upon the police captain as he clenched his fists. "Listen here and listen good." the Woo Foo Master hissed, venom lacing his voice as he pointed a finger at the captain's chest. "I had _nothing_ to do with this, my eleven year old student had _nothing _to do with this, and for you to imply such a thing is really dangerous for your health at this moment." the statement was pulled from his throat as he forced himself not to use the more colorful version of his vocabulary in front of his eldest student; it was tempting, it would make him feel better, but he wasn't going to do it either way.

The levelled look on the captain's face had turned to one of fear as the elderly panda advanced on him, causing him to back up before falling into a chair that was directly behind him as the panda continued his rant. "So let me just say that you better be counting your blessing that you're in a hospital, because if you knew how close I am to blasting you into next mulleina for even _thinking_ such a thing, you'd be had!" one of the Woo Foo Master's clenched fist had begun to glow with sky blue energy as his voice rose slightly in pitch, his breaths seething through clenched teeth as he glared down at the officer in front of him.

It was clear now that the panda was on his last nerve with this day. First off, he'd woken up to find his female student in such a state, then he'd been told that she'd been raped by some stranger, and now this... _degenerate_ was implying that either Yang or himself was the culprit?! Oh, he was so close to snapping right now it wasn't funny! And those who didn't get out of the way in time when he did snap were bound to get seriously injured.

In his shock, the officer could only stare up at the aged master, his eyes widened and his mouth ajar, but his voice was lost to him. He'd not expected such a reaction from the black and white elder, but then again, he figured he had pushed him a little too far. Despite this, once he gathered his wits about him, the officer leaped from his seat, coming face to face with the panda master. "You know I can have you arrested for threatening and assaulting a police officer, sir. So please sit back down, if you will." he stated, crossing his arms over his chest as he glared down the Woo Foo Master.

The glowing ball on the elder's hand seemed to intensify in size and power at that statement. At this moment, nothing seemed to be of matter to the elder, not even the threat of being arrested. However, before the argument could escalate, another voice broke through the tension.

"You could make good on that threat, but you won't, officer. Not unless you want me to complain to your chief of police about your conduct."

That statement was enough to cause both the elder and the captain's gazes to turn to the entrance of the hospital, where a raccoon and eagle now stood.

--

Electric green eyes narrowed at the sight before her as the raccoon detective walked into the hospital, her gait quickly closing the distance between herself, the police captain, and the victim's guardian. Reaching into her jean's pocket, she brought out her badge, flipping it open and showing it to the captain as she spoke. "Detective Justina Domino, and this is my partner, Officer Andrew Jayden." she explained as she closed her badge case and placed it back in her jean's pocket before gesturing to the eagle behind her. "We'll be handling the questions from here on in." she added, turning back to the police captain as she placed her left hand on her hip calmly, green orbs locking with his own.

To this, the captain placed on an insulted look, his eyes narrowing harshly at the raccoon detective. "And who gave you the authority to do so?" he asked, his voice loud and angered in tone. In response, the detective just narrowed her eyes, her teeth gritting from behind her jawline.

"Who gave me the authority?" she echoed, her eyes narrowing a little more as lowered her ears to her skull, a sight which caused her partner to back up in slight fright. "Well, besides the fact that you've only served to further stress and anger the victim's family and the fact that this case shows signs in being connected to a string of robberies, you can ask your police chief _who gave me the authority_!" she snarled, causing the captain to step back and hold his hands up in surrender, his eyes wide with slight fear.

Despite the fact that he clearly outranked her, Justina's reputation far preceded her... not even many police chiefs were willing to anger her because of it, and that was enough to make him back down from anything that might end in a verbal fight with the detective... one he was bound to lose.

After a moment, the raccoon took a deep breath, her ears slowly rising from her skull as her eyes softened from their hardened state. "Now, since that's been cleared up." she began as she crossed her arms over her chest, keeping her glare upon the police captain as she spoke. "I believe your police chief wanted to see you. I'd get going if I were you." she stated calmly, gesturing with her head for him to get going.

The captain lowered his hands at that statement, his gaze locking with the detective's as he slowly walked around towards the entrance of the hospital and only looking away once he was close to the doorway. Justina's gaze followed him further, watching as he walked the rest of the way before opening the door and disappearing into the world outside.

Once he was gone, the detective gave a slight snort of distaste before turning around to the panda, her features softening to what could be called a friendly demeanor. "I apologize for my fellow officer's behavior, sir. He shouldn't have angered you; I know you have to be going through a lot of stress right now." she stated in a calm voice, which her partner assumed was her best attempt to be kindly.

The panda's glare hadn't faltered, but the glowing on his fist had disappeared once the captain had walked away, much to the silent relief of both the detective and her partner, who was keeping a respectful distance away from the two at this point.

However, now that the dark purple gaze of the girl's guardian was upon them, Andrew couldn't help but to wonder just how Justina didn't even flinch under that hard stare until the voice of the elder broke through the silence. "If you so much as even imply that my student or myself are responsible for this in any way..." the panda began, trailing off as his teeth gritted together in anger.

Again, the detective didn't back down in any way at the display. She'd worked with angry victims before; hell, the Dark Gentleman had made so many people angry, it was a daily occurrence to her. "I won't." she stated simply, her green eyes flashing softly in understanding. "Because I respect your feelings and because I know neither of you are responsible." she explained calmly, catching the panda's interest as his features turned from angry to surprised.

"What do you mean you-" before the panda master could finish that sentence, another voice screeched from behind the door that led to the back, causing the detective, her partner, and the Woo Foo Master to startle from their conversation and turn towards the direction of the noise.

"Get out! Get out, get out, _GET OUT!!!_" almost as soon as that voice sounded off, the remaining police officers that had come with the captain raced out from the door, stumbling over each other in their haste. Once the final officer escaped the back room, a very pissed off Dr. Drake stalked into the doorway, her fur bristling, her fangs gritted, and her hazelnut eyes wide with anger.

From her position, the tabby watched as the officers stream out of the entrance to the hospital, all of them determined to get as far away from the her as possible. It was good that they did; after seeing the pressure they were trying to put on her patient, she wasn't going to let any of those cretins back in to see the little girl. "I don't care if you are law enforcement, Yin is my patient, and I will not have you traumatizing her anymore than she already is!" the silver tabby hissed, her ears flatting to her skull as she spoke.

Yang hadn't taken interest in the many voices that had been speaking, nor the confrontations that had occurred beforehand, but immediately after his sister's name was mentioned by the doctor, the blue rabbit came to life, turning to face the doctor on his knees while holding the back of the chair. "Yin?!" he asked, his eyes wide with concern and his voice fearful for his sister's well-being. "How is she, is she awake?!" the questions fell from his mouth before he could stop them, his form beginning to tremble slightly as he placed all his focus on the silver tabby.

The doctor's ears perked up at the sound of the child's emotional voice, and her gaze switched to the blue rabbit's face. Immediately, she forced the fur on her neck to smooth out and took some deep breaths to calm down, sighing deeply as before she responded to the child's questions. "Yes, Yin is awake, and she's asking for the both of you." the doctor explained, straightening herself up as she spoke. "We're still waiting for the tests results to come back, but you can see her now if you want." with that, the doctor stepped to the left to hold the door open, gesturing with her other free hand for the family to come on back. "She's in Exam Room One-" she started to give them the room number, but never got to finish that sentence.

Not two seconds after she'd spoken the word 'One', a streaking blue blur raced past her, causing her to blink in shock and surprise at the position the blue rabbit had been in before. "Huh...?" she uttered, slightly dumbstruck.

The detective's electric green hues narrowed slightly in thought as she turned to the panda master yet again, her expression having not changed from before. "If you will permit it, I would like to ask one question to the victim. I won't pressure her, nor will I get angry if she can't remember. You have my word." the raccoon promised as the panda's gaze turned back to her position.

A scrutinizing look came about the elder as he stared the detective down, unsure of whether to trust her or not; judging by how Dr. Drake was acting towards those police officers, he could guess that they'd been trying to pressure Yin into answering some very difficult questions; he had to force himself not to clench his fists and set them aglow at that thought. How was he to know this detective and her partner wouldn't act the same?

Amidst his glare, the raccoon held her ground, bright green eyes locked upon his own purple and returning his gaze. She could understand his suspicion of her; any worried parent or guardian that was in their right mind would be if placed in his shoes, but she had to let him know he could trust her. She'd never overstepped her boundaries before, and she wasn't about to start now.

After another moment, the Woo Foo Master's gaze calmed down, and he gave a small nod in response, but no sooner afterwards did his glare flash dangerously: a warning that she better not pressure the young girl or else she would find herself in the same position as those other uniform officers. Catching the message, the raccoon gave a serious nod in response as the panda began to walk towards the door to follow his eldest student's path.

Looking to the partner, the raccoon gave a gesture with her head to signal for him to follow her before following the panda's walk path, receiving an equally intimidating glare from the physician holding the door as she passed by. At that, the detective only gave a sigh of defeat.

It appeared she was going to have to work extra hard to make up for the trust those other officers had broken not moments earlier.

--

The blue rabbit's speed didn't falter as he raced into the back, nearly tripping over his own feet as he raced to the closed door that had a big black number '1' upon the door frame. Once he found it, he had to grasp the pristine white frame in order to stop, his feet slipping out from beneath him upon the slick tiled floor and causing him to land upon his backside. Pain or discomforted didn't register as he quickly scrambled back to his feet, all but lunging for the door knob with one hand as he rose from the floor, grasping it tightly and bringing it down with him as he slipped again, this time pushing forward to open the door and falling face first into the Exam Room.

The sound of the door opening had caught the young blue vixen's attention, her gaze drawn away from the pink girl she was comforting for a moment to see the young blue child upon the floor. It took a moment, but she finally recognized the blue boy as Yin's elder brother, Yang; the last time she'd seen him, he'd been clinging to his guardian's leg like a scared toddler, the concern for his sister's well-being radiating off him. Obviously, Dr. Drake had finally allowed the family to come back.

The young Woo Foo student was caught by the sound of the door opening as well, her form tensing slightly as she recalled all the voices yelling outside. However, when her eyes hit the blue form, it didn't take near as long as it did for Madison for Yin to recognize her own flesh and blood. "Yang?" the child asked, raising her head up slightly in surprise and hope.

In the same second that the young female bunny's voice hit his ears, the blue rabbit was back on his feet and had quickly closed the distance between himself and his twin sister, literally leaping upon the bed and gathering his sister from the nurse, holding her close in his arms. The young pink girl didn't object, huddling further into her brother's grasp, relieved to finally be back with some of her family. As for Yang's part, it was his turn to lose his voice for now, his hues closing as he finally let a few tears of thankfulness fall from his eyes.

Soft dark blue eyes softened at the heartfelt sight as the vixen slowly slid off the bed, knowing her presence wasn't needed here anymore. She'd talked the child through Dr. Drake retrieving the samples for the tests, and had stayed with her until her family was allowed to come back to be with her. Now her job was over at last, and was she ever thankful; she didn't think she could take seeing the broken child in her arms and being unable to do anything else about it except try in vain to do what was her brother and guardian's jobs.

The familiar form of the girl's guardian was next, but his approach was a little less rushed; he'd walked from the waiting room into the back, and then finally ended up jogging the rest of the way when walking was beginning to take too long. He slowed down as he approached the bedside, catching the attention of his two embracing pupils, their hues of rich violet and crystal blue locking with his own deep purple. An audible sigh of relief fell from the panda's voice as he looked down at both of his students, a small smile tracing its way over his mouth, a sight that caused the small smile on the nurse's features to widen.

Even she could feel the relief of seeing each other that flooded from all three of them.

The vixen's blue eyes flickered towards the doorway as she caught sight of a female raccoon and a male eagle standing in the doorway, an equally happy smile crossing the eagle's beak, while a smaller, less noticeable smile was seen upon the raccoon's face. However, no sooner did the vixen notice it than did it disappear, a serious but gentle look coming about her features as she walked cautiously into the room, clearing her throat to catch the attention of the family.

"Yin?" she began, keeping her voice level and soft as she approached, but still the young girl snuggled closer to her brother as he tightened his grip around her, the fur on the back of his neck rising as he glared the detective down with a fiery glare, daring her to make one wrong move or say one wrong thing. "My name is Justina, I'm a detective at the police department." the raccoon continued despite the young boy's silent warning, although she wisely kept a respectful distance from the blue rabbit and his twin. "I have a question to ask you. If you don't want to, you don't have to answer, but it will help us catch the guy who did this to you." she explained, her green eyes locking the child in warm, comforting look.

Despite her insecurity about the detective and her brother's obvious distrust, the young girl relaxed slightly in her brother's grip, nodding slowly in response to the detective's words a moment afterwards. If what she told the detective would help her out in catching the criminal, she was going to tell her what she wanted to know... if she did know what the answer was the detective wanted.

Upon receiving the nod of approval, the raccoon gave a small nod in response, coming a little closer to the bedside so that she wouldn't have to raise her voice so much. "Alright, now Yin, listen carefully." she began, making sure she had the child's full attention before continuing onward. "Do you know who it was who attacked you?" she asked, a slightly more serious tone coming to her voice as she finally asked the question that had been burning her tongue, the question with an answer that could change the course of the case.

The flash of fear that passed by the crystalline blue eyes of the Woo Foo student didn't escape the raccoon's gaze, and for a moment she felt guilty for even asking the question, but she quickly shook it off. Being guilty wasn't going to get this girl justice for the act committed against her. The child's body trembled slightly in her brother's grip as she gave a series of quick nods, tightening her grip on her brown blanket. "Yes ma'am." her voice was shaky at best, but what could be expected from a victim of this age? The raccoon's ears perked up gently as she caught the deep breath that entered the child's lungs, the exhale coming out almost as softly as the single word that followed afterwards.

"Jackal..."

The silence in the room was so thick that you could hear the talking in the room three doors down.

The detective's features couldn't have fallen faster after hearing that one word. Her eyes closed harshly as her ears flickered to her skull in this new revelation, a deep calming breath as she forced her eyes back open, glancing around the room to gauge the reason why the room had fallen so silent along with her. Her eyes caught the neutral if not confused features on the vixen nurse and the feline doctor, but what got her attention was the looks of complete and utter morbid shock on the blue rabbit and panda's features, their eyes wide and their pupils' dilated. Obviously from their reactions, they knew exactly what the young girl was talking about.

Taking another deep breath, the raccoon turned her attention back to the trembling girl, offering another gentle, calming look to the child. "Thank you, Yin. That helps me out more than you know." she uttered, smiling softly as she turned slowly around, her fluffy ringed tail flowing softly behind her. As she came to the doorway, her features turned towards her partner as she whispered a soft command.

"Get the police chief on the phone; we're taking over this case."

* * *

**A/N:** And that's the end of the third chapter. Needless to say, I'm glad I got this down, because now I can update it and give you guys what you want. Nothing much to say down here, though, save for the fact that in the next chapter is when things are going to get much more suspenseful and heart-wrenching... do you guys know I've had to research the crime of rape and its after-effects on the victim just to write this story? I've learned quite a few things about the after-effects, which will come into play soon enough. Very educational and interesting at the same time... now I'm just babbling, better wrap this up.

Anyway, that's all I have to say. Read and review please! This is Snowy signing out. :D


	4. Signs of Change

**A/N: **Well, here we go again! Third chapter to the story, and we're still on a roll. This chapter was pretty easy to write actually, and I had some fun in writing it that I just couldn't stop. I've got some new ideas for subplots to this story too, which will probably lengthen it in turn. However, why don't we skip this part and get to the results of the contest and poll votes?

Alright, since I would like everything else to be a secret to all those who didn't get it right or didn't try, I won't say who got one of the pairings right. Check your inbox for your reward, but do not say a word about it to anyone. I like to keep people guessing, makes it funner for me and more suspenseful and mind-blowing for you guys when I actually reveal the pairings. As for the poll votes, there have been two votes, but I won't say for which possible stories because I want my next story to be a surprise as well.

Now, onto shout-outs:

-~-

**_SilverBlueAngel_**: Well, after seeing all the reviews I've been getting for my stories, I had to update as quickly as possible, and plus I've got a big muse for this story right now, so I'm going to be milking it as much as possible before it runs out. I'm glad you enjoy it, I've been working hard on my writing style and after many hours of non-stop learning and trying, I can see my efforts are paying off. And I'm glad to meet another dark and twisted mind, shows me I'm not alone in this world. As for the chapter's excitement, I'm glad you think it is exciting even though I don't. Suspenseful maybe, but I never thought of it has exciting... at least not compared to what else I have in mind for this story's direction. And thanks for trying out the pairings; these little contests help me to see if the story is predicable or not. As for the top pairing in the fandom, the Yin x Yuck pairing, that will happen in here, but right now I'm just setting the playing field for our favorite green rabbit to appear. Be patient.

**_Neptune's Heart_**: Yeah, I know, I love her snappy attitude too. My little detective never holds her tongue, even to her superiors, and after the goose chase she's been on for the last five years, she has a right to be. And don't worry, I will keep writing for as long as I live. I just love it too much to stop.

**_Squad Unit 19_**: You're welcome, Squad. And yes, I agree, the research is worth it, very educational and it tells me many things those crime shows don't. And yes, I love my little detectives; Justina is the snappy little detective who wants to finish up a case and get on with her life and poor Andrew is the officer that was dragged into this mess. And wait no longer, my friend, because here comes the next chapter.

**_Shonen Sanzo_**: Thank you, and trust me, it'll get more interesting as we go on.

**_Futuredream3000_**: You're welcome, I just couldn't stop typing and I ended up writing two chapters. And yes, I did the research because I wanted to give this story a deeper feeling and look into the struggles of what Yin's dealing with. As for your pairing guess, Yin x Yuck is going to happen here, it wasn't one of the suprise pairings, but thanks for trying.

-~-

Now that we've got everything out of the way, let us begin again, shall we?

**Disclaimer and Warning: **This story is purely fan-made; I do not own any characters in this story except for The Dark Gentleman, Detective Justina Domino, Officer Andrew Jayden, Ms. Laila Scarlett, Dr. Sandra Drake, Nurse Jacob Taylor, and Nurse Madison Leah. The story is also not rated T for nothing; some chapters may or may not contain graphic scenes. If you don't like, look elsewhere.

* * *

**Arc One, Chapter Three ~ The Signs of Change**

--

"In a mad world only the mad are sane." - Akira Kurosawa

* * *

It had been three days since the attack, three long worrisome days in the hospital checking over Yin for any injuries that might have been missed, or anything else that might come up. Dr. Drake had pulled out all the stops; rape tests and blood work had been sent to the hospital's laboratory to get the rapist's DNA for Detective Justina and to make sure that Yin hadn't caught anything from her attacker. Yin was such a young soul, the physician didn't want to over look something that could be harmful or even fatal to her health.

Thankfully, the results came back clean, and the profile of the rapist was sent straight to Justina, much to her joy; anything that could help the raccoon find this jackal was a plus in her book.

But now that any possible outside threats were contained, the real struggle could begin.

Nurse Taylor's dark silver eyes glanced down at the young patient sitting in the wheelchair he was pushing, her body huddled up into the leather seat and her brown blanket wrapped tightly around herself as it had been since the minute she was admitted, her eyes staring straight ahead into space. Her face was still battered and bruised, but it was looking better than it had three days ago that was for sure.

He'd never gotten the full story about what happened, but then again, neither had Dr. Drake or Nurse Madison or even Yo or Yang. The girl claimed to not be able to remember anything about what had happened, only that it did happen and who had done it.

To be frank, he wasn't even sure if she knew what 'it' was that had happened.

That was to be expected however; the mind was a strange place that had many ways of defending and tormenting a soul. This black memory of the events that had happened was most likely her brain's attempt to protect itself from any further emotional harm, and even if it seemed like a poor attempt, chances were that it would be a lot worse had she actually remembered the events.

Walking beside them was Nurse Leah, whose gaze often glanced towards the traumatized girl with a concerned flash. It was no secret in the hospital that the young nurse had been keeping a close eye on the status of Dr. Drake's patient, having been touched deeply by the situation the girl was going through. Knowing his fellow nurse, he was sure it was just because of the fact that the young girl was too young to be put through things like this, and for once, he had to agree.

He'd always said Madison got to emotional over patients and their plights, and he always claimed it got in the way of her work. He preferred to keep his distance from them, made for less of a heartbreak if they didn't get well, something many didn't. However, this little girl... her plight... everyone who knew couldn't help but to get involved in it, including himself. In the three days she'd been in the hospital, he'd often bring her some juice or maybe even Jell-O if she asked, but of course, Dr. Drake, Nurse Leah, or Yin's brother and guardian always had to be in the same room with her when another male was, but that too was understandable.

Coming up to the entrance of the hospital, Madison took the lead, opening up the door to allow the wheelchair to access to the outside world. Jacob gave it some extra effort as he pushed the wheels over the ridge of the bottom of the door frame, the resulting bounce drawing a surprised squeak from the young Woo Foo student in return. "Sorry." uttered the white wolf nurse as he gave a small sheepish smile. As what was expected from her, the young female didn't make any noise or utter any word as a reply, save for the quick glance up at him before her gaze returned to what was in front of her, which to his knowledge, was a much more comforting sight to her than he or Madison could ever be.

--

Veiled eyes watched as the two nurses rolled his battered sister out onto the concrete in front of the hospital, his gaze having not faltered from the door ever since he was told his sister was coming home today. A deep breath was taken into his lungs as Yang forced a smile upon his face, his violet gaze sparkling in the light from the rays of the three suns overhead as he closed the distance between him and his sister. From the outside, he was the perfect picture of the relieved older brother who was glad his sister was finally coming home.

But on the inside, he was slowly being eaten alive by the guilt he harbored.

No matter what anyone would tell him, he couldn't shake the feeling that he could have done something for his sister, he couldn't help feeling that he'd failed her has her brother, and he couldn't take back the words he'd said the day before the attack. But despite his guilt, he couldn't bring himself to tell her how sorry he was for saying them; he feared she wouldn't forgive him for not being there, he feared she would in turn hate him for his failure, something he knew he wouldn't be able to take.

So instead of just saying words, he decided he would change for her. From now on, Yin would always come first; he would always keep his sister in his sight range, always be on guard when they were in the mists of danger, and he would always keep her out of harm's way. That had been his job from the start, hadn't it? Well, it was time he started taking it seriously... he only wished it hadn't taken a fight and a crime such as this to wake him up.

"Hi, Yin. How are you feeling?" he asked softly, reaching over to his sister and placing a hand over one of her more delicately built ones. The younger sibling slowly tightened her hand on her brother's, her crystalline blues locking with his violet orbs. Yang had to force himself to keep calm and collected at the distant and empty gaze she had adopted.

Beforehand, her eyes had always been sparkling with life, filled with spunk in the face of danger, and natural curiosity and love for learning that he was sure was hardwired into her very being. Now, she was like a shell without a soul, a person that was just existing and not really living; he wasn't going to lie, there were times when he thought he'd see some of the old Yin, but he'd heard one too many times from the nurses and other doctors of the hospital that rape victims never came back the same.

He would do anything to get his sister's old spunk back, he would do anything to reverse the clock and save his sister from this hardship, but something told him that would never happen. With the Chronologicum having been destroyed, he had absolutely no way of traveling back in time, and he certainly wasn't going to take the time to find another way; that would mean either dragging his broken sister with him or leaving her behind at the Dojo, two things he wasn't going to do no matter what.

On her features, Yin had forced a small smile to come to her features for her brother, an attempt to show him she was still Yin despite what had happened, but while he forced his smile to widen slightly, it didn't bring him comfort. Instead, the sight only brought one feeling into his heart, one he could easily identify without question.

Hate.

What had started out as simple guilt had quickly become fury, and the shortly afterwards had grown so quickly into something that had a life of it's own. Never before had Yang though he could hate someone as much as he hated that thief, but right now, looking at his sister in her condition, the hatred came to him so easily and he made no resistance to fight it. His sister had been placed through so much pain, so much suffering, and according to Justina, it had been all for a thrill on the jackal's part. To see his sister in this state brought the same amount of pain and suffering to him, and the fear that showed in her eyes whenever that jackal was mentioned or implied only strengthened his hatred for the culprit.

Sometimes, he would actually find himself frightened by this feeling, by the intensity it had grown to, while other times he would become confused at why he hated a person this much.

But whenever he simply looked at his sister, he was always reminded of why he felt this way.

His gaze traveled from her healing face to the top of her head, which was now missing her signature purple hair bow. Once the acceptance of the event had come into place and it was discovered that Yin would be fine in a physical sense, they'd finally noticed that the hair piece was gone. The nurses hadn't seen it around the hospital, and after some thought and remembering, both Yang and Yo had realized that it had been missing ever since they'd left the Dojo. After that, the math was simple for them all; Justina had stated in her explanation of the jackal, or the Dark Gentleman as he was known by, that he never left the scene of a hit without something he could hold in his hands to remind him of his thrill...

...and in this crime, it was Yin's hair bow that he took, something worthless in the eyes of most, but absolutely priceless in sentimental value to his younger sister.

The thought of that thief touching his sister angered him, but the fact he'd also had the _audacity _to take something of Yin's absolutely enraged him.

Pushing down his anger for now, the blue rabbit walked alongside the wheelchair as it was brought the last few feet to the car, where Dr. Drake and Master Yo stood patiently. Breaking away from the side of the chair, the eldest twin opened the back door of the car before helping his sister down from the chair and into the vehicle, closing the door and moving around to open the door to the other side and jump in to join his sister.

As the two bunnies filed into the car, Dr. Drake turned her attention to Yo, the small smile she'd been sporting from earlier fading away as his gaze turned to her. "I've waited until the children were out of earshot to tell you this; Yang's already emotional over his sister and Yin doesn't need anymore to fear." she explained, giving a sigh as her seeming slightly aged body heaved softly. "There's still a lot to worry about even though the tests came back clean." she started, pausing to take out a forum from her robe pocket before she continued. "An infection can still sprout at any time, so I'm prescribing this five day course of low strength antibiotics just encase we missed something. It should kill off any bacteria and subdue any threat of it." she explained as she handed the paper to the Woo Foo Master, whom gave a nod in response and took the prescription without question.

Another gentle sigh escaped the doctor as she closed her hazelnut eyes, her ears flickering back to her skull as she thought about the next set of words she'd use. "As well, there's something else you should know about." she stated, her eyes reopening as she gazed at the aged master. "The fact that our tests got a DNA profile from this... 'Dark Gentleman' if he even deserved to be called that anymore... is very disturbing. It means there's a possibility that Yin... could conceive a child-" before she could finish, her sentence was cut off by the panda's voice, but she couldn't say she hadn't been expecting it.

"Whoa, whoa!." Yo stated, holding up a hand in a stopping motion as his eyes narrowed slightly. "Conceive? You mean my student, my _eleven year old_ student, could become pregnant?" he asked, his voice hardening slightly as he spoke the last part and his eyes hardening slightly as he let his hand drop back to his side. "Is that even possible?" his voice had taken a slightly high pitch tone that time, as if in disbelief. For an eleven year old girl to become pregnant just wasn't possible... right?

To this, the doctor simply nodded, her features unchanged as she confirmed what he hadn't even fathomed only moments earlier. "It's very possible, sir. There have been cases of ten year old kids having their own children these days." she explained, closing her eyes and shaking her head softly while the panda gave his head a disbelieving jerk, uncertainty flashing in his eyes. "There's nothing we can do to keep her from conceiving now, I'm afraid. Birth control pills don't exactly work if conception has already taken place, and after three days..." the silver cat trailed off, taking in a calming breath and releasing it in a loud exhale. "If she shows signs - vomiting, mood swings, anything - bring her back to me, and we'll take it from there." she instructed, to which the panda only lowered his head, nodding softly in agreement and acknowledgement.

As the panda tried to gather his thoughts from the unexpected hit he'd just been given, the physician reached into her pocket again, catching his attention. Before he could ask, Sandra spoke up first. "Yin's physical condition is fine now, no major injuries and her minor ones are healing up nicely, but her emotional condition is the concern now." she explained as she pulled out a dark colored paper card and handed it out to the panda, who curiosity took it from the silver tabby's delicate hands to get a better look at it.

The card was for a psychiatrist, or shrink as they were called, and was colored a rich onyx black with silver letters printed on the front and a silver frame tracing the edges. On it, the card read 'Ms. Scarlett's Private Practice. All cases of psyche problems accepted. Free of charge.' and had a number down below. Purple eyes narrowed as the panda looked back up at the silver physician, his gaze holding the unspoken question she knew he would ask. "Ms. Scarlett is a friend of mine. She takes in those who can't pay for others - but that's not the reason I'm referring you to her." she stated the last part quickly, raising a hand to silent the panda when she saw his mouth beginning to open in protest, the insulted look on his face telling her exactly what he was planning on saying.

Lowering her hand to her side, the physician continued. "She's really good at what she does, better than those psychiatrist on the other side of town. Plus she's closer to where you live, and I think she'll be able to help Yin better than anyone else." she explained calmly, pausing to take a breath before continuing. "I've already called her and set Yin's first appointment for the day after tomorrow at 11:30 AM. She cannot miss this appointment, am I clear?" the physician's voice had taken a harder turn as she spoke the final part of her sentence. The threats of emotional trauma were much greater than physical trauma at this point; how Yin's psyche recovered was the main concern now.

And the quicker the started her down that path, the better.

In response to the silver tabby cat, the panda gave an affirmative nod, silently promising Yin would not miss the appointment that had been set up. While at first he believed that Dr. Drake had been insulting them, he now understood she was giving them the best she knew of, a kind gesture in every shape and form. "Thank you, Dr. Drake." he stated simply, reaching out his hand to the feline to shake her hand in gratitude, which the silver physician accepted.

Over the course of the three days that had passed since Yin had been admitted, the cat had gone to great lengths to ensure Yin's recovery, from chasing out the local law enforcement when they threatened to force hard questions on Yin too fast, to making sure Yin felt safe and comfortable while she was staying at the hospital, and now this. A smile crossed Yo's mouth as he looked at the silver tabby, unsure of how he was going to be able to repay her kindness, but he was sure he would find a way; he had to.

From her position, the silver tabby gave a smile of her own, her hazelnut eyes brightening up slightly as she responded to the elderly panda's statement, her voice calm and collected as always.

"You're welcome, sir."

--

"Care to explain this?!"

A delicate cinnamon hand slammed down upon the desk, carrying with it a newspaper article she'd torn out in a fit of rage. Electric green eyes flashed with fire as she glared down the police chief, who had to force himself to keep straight in spite of the gaze set before him. Deciding to focus on something else instead of the seething raccoon, the chief decided to look down at the thing that had the liaison detective on the attack, cringing sightly as he read the newsprint, which had the words 'Rape in the City! Young girl assaulted!' in big bold letters.

It didn't take a genius to understand why the detective was so upset now.

"I thought we agreed not to take this to the press." Justina's dangerous growl caused him to flinch involuntarily, his eyes returning to the young woman in front of him. Her features hadn't changed much, if anything they'd only hardened in comparison. The detective had a big problem with any crime being taken to media and being published to the public, especially when it involved anything from the case she'd been stuck with for the last five years.

Steeling himself with a sigh, the chief cleared his throat, straightening up as he stared the detective in the eye before speaking. "Now, Justina, you know that we didn't take this to the media, but some times things slip and the result in damage we have to control." he punctuated his sentence with a gesture towards the news article. "All we can do now is see how much damage has been done." he added calmly, even though neither of his sentences had done much to smooth the detective's flame out.

Adverting his gaze from the raccoon, the chief reached over to a drawer on his desk, sliding it open and picking up an eyeglass case. Opening it up, the chief took the glasses out and fixed them upon the bridge of his nose before taking the newsprint from underneath the detective's hand, fixing it in front of his gaze and skimming over it quickly as the detective crossed her arms over her chest, her gaze never faltering as she watched him read the clip.

After a few moments, the chief closed his eyes, placing the paper down upon the desk and taking off his reading glasses before returning his gaze to the detective. "I don't see where it names the victim, nor any details of the case and there is no picture of any sort." he explained as he pushed the paper back to the other side of the desk where the liaison detective stood. "If anything, news of a rape probably got to the press and they published what they knew." a smirk wove over his aged features at this point. "Besides, this little story could in fact help us out; an outraged city on the lookout for a rapist could get people talking." he suggested, hoping it would help to soften out her mood.

When the detective snatched the paper off the desk, he realized he'd only made things worse.

"Or it could cause paranoid to spread through the city and we'll never be able to catch him!" the raccoon snarled, her eyes widening with a new intense flame as she pointed out to the operators just outside the chief's office. "The phones will be ringing off the hook either way, but whether those callers are helpful or hindering is up to them. I just hope it's the former, because heaven knows I don't need more hindrances in finding this guy!" she added before she turned on her heel, stalking out the door that led to the chief's office and slamming it behind her.

At the loud noise of his door slamming, the chief cringed softly, lowering his head and sighing in defeat. The raccoon detective was hard to get along with, and even harder to work with, but in her hometown, she was the best they had, and she was the only one who had ever come close to catching the Dark Gentleman, and therefore was too valuable to let go or take off the case. Placing an elbow on the wooden desk, the chief rested his head in his palm, drumming his fingers with his free hand on the blank area.

He could file a complaint to her chief of police, report her behavior, but she'd never made a public scene, she never meant any true disrespect and he had a strong feeling it wouldn't do much of a difference. Chances were her chief was so used to this behavior, he would just tell him to put up with it and continue on with his work. A deep sigh escaped him as he closed his eyes again, deciding to just push Justina's moody behavior back for now. At this moment, there were more pressing matters to attend to...

...like catching the dangerous thief who had turned rapist.

--

The drive home from the hospital had been virtually uneventful save for the stop at the pharmacy for Yin's medicine, as the time was mostly passed in silence. With Yin staring blankly out the car window and Yang lost in the depths of his own mind, Yo was left alone with his worries and concerns. What Dr. Drake had said weighed heavily on his heart and soul; the threat of infection was all but taken care of as long as Yin finished the medicine, but the threat of pregnancy was impossible to fathom and even harder to accept.

Ever since he'd taken the rabbit twins under his wing all those years ago, he'd grown close to them, protective over them, and proud of them. Sure, he wouldn't say that he was the best parent figure, but he tried, and trying had gotten him this far, hadn't he? He'd never really expected a bond to form between him and his young pupils as he trained them, in fact he'd not wanted to even take students until the Woo Foo Elders had stopped his show and wouldn't let him see the ending until he agreed, but as time went on, he found himself becoming very attached to them. It had even come to a point where there were times when he actually saw them as his children, and that feeling only made this situation worse.

The feeling he'd felt when he was told by Dr. Drake that Yin had been raped was similar similar to if he'd been punched in the stomach. It meant someone had come into the Dojo at night, had attacked his student, and had spend a considerable amount of time in the Dojo to commit the crime. And what was worse was that according to Yin, it had been that jackal thief - or the Dark Gentleman as he was called by the police - that his pupils had faced the day before everything had transpired.

If he'd known this would have happened, he would have gone out and taken care of that thief himself... a mistake he wasn't likely to make again if that thief ever showed his face around the city again.

His hands unconsciously tightened around the steering wheel as he narrowed his purple eyes, teeth gritting lightly behind his jawline. The next time there was even a rumor of the thief being somewhere around the area, he was going to hunt him down, tear him apart slowly and _enjoy_ every moment of it, especially if Yin got pregnant by him.

...If he found out his youngest pupil was pregnant, he would not be responsible for his actions afterwards.

However, he wasn't going to tell his student's that particular warning. While it was possible, he figured he should be the one to worry about it; after all, Yin and Yang didn't need anymore worries on their shoulders, especially one such as this.

As the car drove through the gate into the driveway, the panda master snapped back to reality, sighing deeply as he rolled the car up to its normal spot and placed it in park, turning off the ignition and grabbing the paper bag that contained Yin's antibiotics before opening his door and stepping out onto the ground. From the other side of the car, he could hear Yang doing the same, the car's back door shutting with a soft slam before the blue rabbit walked from around the car and into the panda's sight range. The Woo Foo master sighed inwardly at the sight of his eldest student; since the attack, Yang had become withdrawn, staying close to his sister and never staying away too long. He could tell Yang was taking this hard, perhaps even blaming himself, whatever it was he didn't know; Yang didn't talk very much anymore either unless he absolutely had to.

Pulling his gaze away from the blue rabbit, the panda reached over and opened the side door of the car where Yin was seated, reaching in and unbuckling his youngest student before scooping her up into his arms. She could walk, but it just didn't seem right to make her walk the rest of the way. Placing her into one thickset arm securely, he closed the car door with his free hand before starting his walk to the Dojo's door, stepping upon the porch and sliding the woven door open to reveal the inside of Dojo, their home.

For a long moment, the panda master hesitated to walk inside, his eyes glancing around at the empty room calmly. Nothing had been moved, nothing had been disturbed, and nothing had changed since they'd left for the hospital three days ago. And by the look of things, no one had come over either, not even the cops; he supposed he had Detective Justina to thank for that. The raccoon had made it clear before she left that the DNA profile was all she needed; anything else that could be found here would be nothing she hadn't documented or photographed before.

Nothing had changed, yet it still felt... different.

A glance down at his eldest student showed that the blue rabbit was similar in feelings. The Dojo just didn't feel the same anymore, not since the attack had happened. It didn't have the same feeling of safety, the same feeling of being at home it had before. The panda master guessed he would have to make some changes to the security of the Dojo to make it feel that way again, starting with that broken door in the back. It had been damaged during the fight Yin and Yang had over the diary, but... it hadn't been swinging off its hinges like it was now last time he checked.

Another blow came to the elderly panda as he guessed that's how the thief had entered the Dojo in the night; the door was basically wide open, an easy entry point for anyone villain or not.

Yes, fixing that door would be the first thing on his list.

Steeling himself, the panda walked the rest of the way into the Dojo, closing the door behind him before he made a B-line for the sofa, leaning down and placing his pink pupil upon the plush cushions gently before placing the medicine bag on the coffee table. Next to him, Yang climbed upon the piece of furniture, sitting down beside his sister and locking his gaze upon her form and never wavering. The young girl didn't move, didn't flinch, didn't do anything except blink ever so often and breathe. Dr. Drake had explained this was to be expected in the days that followed after the assault, that Yin would be distant for a while, perhaps even numb to the world around her or even hysterical at times.

It happened with all rape victims, but it depended on the individual on how severe the reactions would be. And right now, it seemed as if Yin's case was very severe.

Another moment of watching his traumatized student and then the Woo Foo Master stood back to full height, clearing his throat to catch his eldest's pupil's attention. "Yang, go get Yin some water. It's time for her medicine." he stated calmly, to which the blue rabbit quickly jumped off the sofa and raced into the kitchen without a second thought. Gazing after his elder student for a moment, the elderly master sighed as he took a seat beside his female student, placing a comforting hand upon her back. However, as soon as he touched her, she jumped, her crystalline eyes wide as she jerked her gaze towards her master's figure.

When she moved, he'd recoiled slightly in surprise, having not expected her to react, but he quickly shook it off as her form calmed down and her eyes returned to the blank expression they'd been in only moments earlier. Putting his hand back on her figure, the panda sighed softly, his eyes closing slowly as he shook his head slightly. Yin was numb to the word and afraid of her own shadow... he hoped this Ms. Scarlett character could help out in some way.

...Scarlett... why was that name suddenly so familiar?

--

He was moving as fast as he could to get the water and get back to his sister's side, but had managed to take some time to get some ice and a straw for her and place them in the glass before briskly walking back to the sofa, making sure not to spill a drop as he sat it down on the coffee table in front of the furniture before taking his former place back on the sofa's cushions. Once his sensei had seen the glass, the panda had reached over and grabbed the paper bag off the table, opening it up and taking out the sheet that contained the pills.

The dosage was simple, two pills a day for five days, one in the morning and one at night to kill off bacterial infections... or in this case, keep them at bay. Pushing out one of the small red colored pills, the panda picked up the glass of water and handed both to his younger pupil, who after a moment of staring at the red pill in her hand placed it in her mouth and downed it with a drink of water from the straw. Yo then took the glass of water away from his student as she leaned back against the sofa, cringing slightly at the pain that flooded to her brain from her hips.

"It still hurts?" Yang's voice broke through the silence as the young blue rabbit noticed his sister's discomfort, catching her attention. Looking to her brother, the young rabbit stared at him for a moment, considering his question before giving a nod. Her lower body still ached, and at times there was slight bleeding, but the physician had claimed that it was all normal and there was nothing to be concerned about. In a few more days, the pain and bleeding would cease, which was a great comfort to her brother and master when they were told such.

But for her, it did nothing to help her out in anyway.

Curling up into a tight ball and laying her head against the armrest of the sofa, the female bunny snuggled further into her brown blanket, closing her eyes and giving a deep sigh. She was tired, she'd had a very eventful three days, and had hardly slept because she was afraid she would be alone when she woke up. Now, she couldn't fight her exhaustion anymore.

Seeing his sister's attempt to sleep, Yang quickly raced to a nearby closet, sliding the door open and grasping a soft pillow from within. Normally, he would have gone into their shared room to grab a pillow, but... he figured the sickening stench of blood and other... _unholy things_ had bound itself to the fabrics and walls inside that room, and even if it hadn't, he wasn't walking one step into that room right now either way.

Placing the pillow beneath his arm, he closed the closet door before hurrying back to his sister's side, gently lifting her head up and sliding the pillow underneath before lowering her head down upon the soft fabric. After that, he moved downward a little, straightening out the wrinkles in her blanket before turning around and making sure her glass of water was close enough for her to reach.

From his position on the sofa, Yo watched silently, his features neutral as his eyes followed the blue child's movements. Ever since learning of the nature of the attack, Yang had taken a much bigger role in his sister's life, making sure she had everything she needed and never leaving her side but for a few minutes. Yo wasn't complaining, it was a great that Yang was willing to help his sister, but there were times when he worried about the reason for this new change. Just four days ago, Yang could have cared less about whether his sister was comfortable or not, but now just by watching him, people would probably swear this wasn't the same blue child.

Deciding to take his mind off of everything that was happening for a little while and clear his head, the panda stood up from the couch, careful not to disturb Yin as he intended to head to the back door and begin the repairs. Yang could watch her sleep for a little while until he finished, and he didn't even have to ask him to do so either.

However, as he walked around the edge of the couch and plotted a course for the damaged door, the sound of the front door opening caught his attention, followed by a familiar voice.

"Hey, guys, you in here-AH!"

He couldn't turn around fast enough at that scream.

--

She'd never seen it coming.

One moment she was walking up the steps to the doorway like she'd done for the past three days, found it unlocked and decided to see if they were home or not, and the next moment she found herself pushed down hard onto the floor by Yang, who currently had a murderous expression on his features and his sword at her throat. The girl's royal purple eyes widened in shock and fear at the sight before her, confusion sparkling in her eyes as she stared up at the blue rabbit, who for once looked absolutely frightening and seemed like he could kill someone without feeling any remorse.

However, after a moment, recongization flashed in his eyes as they widened from their narrowed state.

"Lena?"

His voice sounded just as surprised as she had been, which only caused her confusion to deepen. Once the sword was taken from her throat and her boyfriend's weight was relieved of her body, the aqua colored female rose to a sitting position, staring at the small blue rabbit blankly for a couple moments before finally pushing herself up to full height, brushing herself off before turning her attention to her boyfriend. "Of course it's me, Yang." she replied, placing her hands on her hips as she spoke. "I was coming over to see if you guys were home or not. You've been gone for a while and I was starting to get worried. Where were you, and what was that about?" she asked, her voice taking a harder tone as she narrowed her eyes at the blue rabbit in question.

At the harsh tone of her voice, Yang flinched softly, his eyes closing quickly for a moment before his blue lids revealed them once more. He hadn't meant to attack Lena, but after hearing her voice in the Dojo when he'd not been expecting it, he'd acted out of instinct and impulse, without taking the time to try and recognize the voice. Then, it had seemed like a good idea to protect his sister from any threat that might come up, but now, he was regretting it. "I-I'm sorry, Lena. I didn't know it was you." he explained calmly as he took a glance back at his sister, wondering if she'd been disturbed by the noise.

Thankfully, she hadn't been, and was still sleeping upon the sofa, although Master Yo was now behind said piece of furniture, his purple eyes locked on his student and the girl standing at his front door.

Returning his gaze to Lena with a relieved sigh, the blue rabbit cringed at the sight of his girlfriend's harsh look, her arms now crossed over her chest as she awaited the rest of his answer. Tensing up slightly, the blue Woo Foo student took a deep breath, unsure about whether he should tell her what had happened. However, after a moment of thought and the threatening look that Lena was giving him, he decided to tell her what had happened. After all, it was Lena, his girlfriend and Yin's best friend; she deserved to know.

Walking behind her, the young blue rabbit shut the door to the Dojo before turning around, looking to his girlfriend with a sigh as he began. "The hospital, Lena. That's where we've been for the past three days." at this, Lena's angry expression became one of shock and concern as she dropped her hands to her sides, royal purple eyes sparkling with disbelief. Before she could say anything or ask if they were alright though, Yang continued. "I'm fine, and Master Yo is fine, but Yin..." the blue pupil turned to his pink sister as he allowed himself to trail off, tensing up slightly as he locked his gaze upon her. "There was an intruder in the Dojo, and he-" he almost began to explain what had happened, but Lena's voice cut him off.

"Intruder?" the female echoed, her voice laced with confusion. "What are you talking about intrud..." her voice trailed off as a sudden thought came to her, the memory of her father's newspaper's front page coming clearly back to her mind. That article had mentioned an intruder who had brutally raped a young girl in her own house. She knew about it because her father had showed her the story and had said he was beefing up security around their home. The article hadn't said who it was who had been raped nor had a picture of the victim; it only said she was an eleven year old girl...

...just like Yin.

A loud gasp escaped Lena as her hands flew to her mouth, her eyes wider than they'd been even when Yang had attacked her as realization hit full force. "Yin... is the girl they're talking about in the newspapers?!" she asked as she turned to where her friend laid, her form trembling in disbelief at this new revelation. Her thoughts was confirmed at the sight of the low bruising and the few bandages that were still on Yin's face, and after glancing back to Yang, he only nodded in response, unable to say anything or do anything else.

Lowering her hands to her sides, the young girl rushed to her friend's side, a look of worry upon her features as she looked up at her friend's guardian, who was still standing behind the sofa. "Is she alright? Did he do anything else to her? What on earth is going on here?!" the questions that spewed from her mouth were said without thinking and at a fast pace, which caused the panda master to back up one step.

"Take it easy, Lena." the panda elder stated as he regained himself and closed the distance between himself and the young girl, placing a hand upon her shoulder, watching as Yang walked up beside them before speaking again. "Keep your voice down, Yin just got to sleep, and yes, she's alright now." he explained, waiting until receiving a quick and understanding nod from Lena before he turned his head and looked down upon the sleeping girl on the sofa cushions, his gaze softening sightly. "She's got some more doctor's appointments to go to, and a course of medicine to take, but she's fine now." he repeated, even though he knew what he was saying was a lie.

His student wasn't going to be alright for a long time, and even though the words rolled off his tongue without hesitation, he knew he was only trying to convince himself as well as Lena, but a quick glance back at the other girl and his elder student told him that neither of them were believing it as they watched the young rape victim sleep.

Yin might look fine now, but all three knew she was far from it...

* * *

**A/N:** And that's a wrap for chapter three! Finally got this up after a day, although I'm not sure if I've done as good as my last three chapters. Still, I hope you like it either way, because it took an entire day of non-stop typing to make this chapter, and now I'm tired. Please tell me what you think about it, and just so you know, the contest of the pairings is still open for anyone who wants to take a crack at it. And please vote on the poll if you can, I'd really like to chart out what my next story so that it'll be off my mind. The less stuff inside my head, the quicker I can get this story completed.

But alright, now that I'm done here, I'll be seeing you all later. Read and review, please! This is Snowy signing out. :D


End file.
